Spirit of Snow
by PengyChan
Summary: "No buts." Sensei's words were the last thing Monkey Fist heard as he felt himself being dragged away from Yuki's grave. "I'm going to repay my debt to her by saving your life, and you are going to repay yours by living. That is all."
1. Snowy Grave

Snow had started to silently fall from the grey sky early that morning. Large snowflakes had quickly covered the mountain like a white blanket: whiteness was everything you could see, and silence was everything you could hear in that day of mourning.

Sensei sighed, watching the sun disappearing behind the mountains as he stepped in the snow. He used to enjoy the peaceful silence that usually surrounded the Yamanouchi school, but today it was different: it was a silence full of unspoken, endless grief. Hardly the enjoyable kind.

His gaze wandered through the whiteness around him.

The white tombstone was barely visible among snow. It probably would have been much more difficult to recognize it if it wasn't for the man knelt in front of the grave, his blank stare fixed on the ground. He had fallen on his knees that morning in front of the tombstone, and he hadn't moved from there since.

It was a bitter cold day, but the man didn't seem to care. He didn't even shudder as another blow of icy wind rushed over him, his gaze never leaving the ground under which _she_ had been buried just the night before.

Sensei remembered when he and Yori had found him, holding Yuki's body close to him as if silently begging her to not leave, even though it was clear her spirit had already left this world. His eyes fixed on her pale face, he had showed no sign to acknowledge their presence as they had approached, nor had he showed any intention to fight back.

But he had indeed given an inhuman cry of rage when one of Sensei's pupils had tried to take Yuki's body away from his grasp, as if he had just snapped from some sort of trance. It had taken five ninjas and some broken limbs to hold him down as they took Yuki away from him, and one quite powerful blow on his head to make him stop trying to kill anyone standing between Yuki and him.

Since he had awakened the night before, he hadn't said a word. He just kept staring at the wall of his cell the whole night, his eyes shallow and devoid of life. He had taken his chance to escape from the cell that morning, when one of the ninjas had come to take care of his wounds… and now there he was, knelt on Yuki's grave, uncaring of his wounds and the cold.

Much to Yori's surprise, Sensei had ordered his ninjas to not bother him. He was somehow sure that the prisoner wasn't going anywhere, and that he needed some time to mourn in peace.

But now time was up. He could not let him stay out there the whole nigh: he was wounded, and needed medical care, and he hadn't eaten in two days.

Sensei silently approached the man. "Quite cold out here, isn't it, Monkey Fist?" he said, stopping a few feet from him.

The monkey man didn't answer. Sensei took a few more steps, stopping just beside him.

"If you stay out here a few hours more, you will die."

Still no answer.

Sensei gazed at the grave too, saying nothing more. He knew it was just a matter of time. He awaited in silence for a few more minutes, the wind still howling around them.

"I killed her" Monkey Fist finally spoke, covering his face with his genetically altered hands. His voice was full of anguish and self-loathing.

"You did?" Sensei asked quietly, looking at the broken man in front of him.

"It was my fault she died. I might as well have plunged a knife into her heart".

"Hmm" Sensei glanced at the darkening sky, wondering how would he have reacted if he had known that Yuki was with child. He shook his head: he didn't need to know, after all "would you care to explain me what really happened?"

* * *

"So" Sensei finally said as Monkey Fist finished to speak "is it all?" 

"It is."

"I understand" Sensei said softly.

Monkey Fist turned his glance away from him, feeling the lump in his throat growing bigger. "Now please, if I may ask one small favor, go away. Let me meet my destiny alone."

"Your destiny" Sensei repeated "do you actually think this is your destiny? Dying alone in the snow?"

"This is the fate I deserve."

Sensei nodded. "Maybe it's true. Maybe you actually deserve death" he looked down at the grave "but still, I'm not going to disrespect Yuki by letting you die."

Monkey Fist glared at him, confused.

"Disrespect…?"

Sensei sighed. "Monkey Fist, I'm not going to lie to you. Her death _is_ partially your fault…"

Monkey Fist cringed at those words. It was the truth, he knew it – but still, hearing them come from another person was devastating.

"…but not completely" Sensei added "Yuki willingly gave up her life to save yours. _Life_ was her ultimate gift for you" he looked Monkey Fist straight in his eyes "do you really want to trow away her gift just for your cowardice?"

"I'm no coward" the monkey man said mechanically, but he didn't seem too sure of his own words.

"Yes, you are and you know it. You are going do make Yuki's death good for nothing just because you can't bear the consequences of you actions. This is cowardice."

"_Shut up!_" Monkey Fist growled as he finally got up out of rage, giving Sensei a murderous glare. Sensei had expected this. It was a natural reaction to the death of a loved one: first dizziness, then pain, then rage.

Monkey Fist's rage, anyway, seemed to subside as he felt a sharp pain to his side as a large wound reopened. He let out a strangled sound of pain as he collapsed on the ground. He stayed down, unable to stand up, shivering in the snow.

"You're wounded quite badly" Sensei reminded him "that's why you need help."

The monkey man lifted his head and growled again as Sensei stepped closer. "Don't you dare come near me" he threatened, though realizing he was no serious treat in his condition.

"Don't be a fool" Sensei said sternly, looking down at him "you know you are no treat to me…especially not now".

Monkey Fist closed his eyes and leaned his head on the ground, tired of the whole thing. He was also starting to feel terribly cold, now that the night was falling. "Why do you want me to live so badly, Sensei? Letting me die would be much easier."

Sensei crouched next to him and began to check his wounds. "I told you, letting you die would be an insult to Yuki's memory. I have a debt to repay to her."

"A debt?" Monkey Fist asked weakly. It seemed that all the strength he had left had been wasted in his outburst. His vision was getting blurry.

"Yes. I have my part of responsibilities for Yuki's death."

"How…" the monkey man breathed. It was getting difficult even to speak.

"I am the one who chose Yuki to follow you and keep an eye on your actions. Had I chosen someone else, things would have gone in a very different way."

"But…" Monkey Fist struggled to speak, feeling himself slip out of consciousness.

"No buts" Sensei's words were the last thing he heard as he felt himself being dragged away from Yuki's grave "I'm going to repay my debt by saving your life, and you are going to repay yours by living. That's all."

* * *

_Author's notes:_

_So, uhm...hello everyone waves. This is my first Kim Possible fanfiction (even though KP herself isn't gonna show up, but whateverXD). _

_I thought there weren't enough Monkey Fist fanfictions around here, so I wanted to write my own. __As you may have guessed, this chapter is just the epilogue. The future chapters will explain what happened BEFORE the events in this chapter. So yeah, the whole fanfiction will be basically a huge flashback. I have a good idea of what's gonna happen - or what **happened**, your choose - but I'm still not sure of how I'm gonna to write it down. If you want to make any suggestion, it would be most welcomed._

_Oh, I almost forgot: as you may have noticed, English is not my native language, so I sometimes happen to make stupid mistakes. Sorry about that, I'll do my best to avoid them as much as possible, but my English is still **very **far from perfection._"_ If you see any mistake, feel free to notify me and I'll correct myself as soon as possible. _

_Anyway, R&R!_


	2. How it all began

**Two months earlier**

"Are you sure about this?" Sensei asked serenely as he sat cross-legged at the center of the room.

Hirotaka nodded. "Yes, I am. A believable source gave me the information that Monkey Fist has been doing a lot of research lately. We still don't know about _what_, but if he's been doing any kind of research…"

"…it can't be any good" Yori finished for him, then she looked at Sensei "we have to warn Stoppable-san and…"

Sensei chuckled softly. "Don't be in a hurry, Yori. We have no proof that he's doing something wrong. There's no need to bother Stoppable-san."

"But if he's been doing research–"

"Monkey Fist was – and still is – an Archaeologist, Yori. Besides, he's been released from jail, which means he has paid his debt with justice. There's nothing unusual about him doing some research."

"Are you saying you think he's not trying to get the Mystical Monkey Power anymore?" Yori sounded astonished.

"No. I _do_ think he's up to no good" Sensei answered "but I am not sure he is. No one of us can be sure. It would be unfair to persecute someone without any proof that he's guilty, don't you think?"

"Are you saying we should just let him go on with his research even though it may be something evil?" Hirotaka asked.

"That's not what I said. But right now there's nothing we can hold against him: that's why Stoppable-san and his friend can do nothing to help this time. Anyway…there _is _something we can do" he turned to Yori "do you know if there is any former student of our school in England right now?"

"Well…" Yori though for a moment, then she turned to Hirotaka "isn't Yuki-sempai in London?"

"Yes" he answered "I think she went there for an holyday recently."

"Perfect" Sensei nodded "I'm going to ask her to keep an eye on Monkey Fist. She'll let us know if he's doing something wrong."

For a moment Yori was tempted to protest – part of her wanted to get Monkey Fist back for kidnapping her the first time they met – but she just nodded, thinking that, being older and more expert than she was, Yuki-sempai fit the task better.

"Fine" Sensei closed his eyes "you may leave now. I need to concentrate."

"You look worried" Hirotaka said as he and Yori left the room.

"Well, I _am_" she sighed "I'm sure Monkey Fist is up to something evil. I'd give anything to know what he's doing right now."

* * *

"_Mooontykiiins! I know you're theeere_…"

Monkey Fist groaned as DNAmy's voice, amplified by a megaphone, reached his ears, echoing in every room of the castle. He had been out from jail for two weeks now, and for all that time that excuse of a woman had been out there, in front of the entrance of his castle, calling for him every single minute with those _ridiculous_ names.

He was once more glad that his castle was so isolated: had _anyone _heard this, he knew he would have never found the courage to get out of there again. _Ever_.

"_C'mon, Honey Bunny!_" DNAmy called again "_I know you will soon come to me!_"

Monkey Fist, who was desperately trying to concentrate on the ancient book in front of him, rolled his eyes. He was most tempted to open the window and yell at her 'when hell freezes over' or something close, but he decided against it.

When he had done something like that, about a year before – he had yelled 'when pigs will fly' – his castle had been surrounded in no time by a storm of genetically modified flying pigs. It seemed that DNAmy had no idea of the meaning of the word 'idiom'.

No, he was just going to pretend he wasn't home. Sooner or later, she would have grown tired. Maybe.

"_Pookie Bear!"_

Monkey Fist closed the book with a sigh and massaged his temples. "I don't think I deserve _this_" he said to no one in particular.

The only answer he got was a loud screech. He turned to see some of his monkey ninjas sitting on a carpet and playing poker. He sometimes thought he had trained them _too_ well.

"Would you _please_ stop screeching every time you lose?" he asked sharply. His head was already throbbing for hearing DNAmy's voice the whole day: the last thing he needed was his monkeys screeching in his ears.

The monkey ninjas made some apologetic sound, then one of them added something.

"No, I do not want to join" he said, opening the book and beginning to read again "now, if you don't mind…"

"_MONTYKINS!_"

Monkey Fist sighed wearily and closed the book again. There was no way he could read with that bitch screaming under his windows. He had to do something – _anything_ – to keep those screams out of his mind. He got up from his armchair and joined his monkey ninjas.

"Alright, that's it" he said "who's the one dealing the cards?"

One of the monkeys squealed.

"Fine, Spook. Go on and get ready to lose."

Another monkey pulled his sleeve and said something. Monkey Fist blinked.

"What does it mean, 'how much money do you have'?"

* * *

Most people seem to think that one of the immutable facts of life is that women absolutely love shopping. Indeed, most of them do. But what escapes to almost everyone is that there is a small share of women that is not _that_ fond about shopping. And there is an even smaller share that absolutely _despises_ it.

Yuki Tamashii undoubtedly belonged to the third category. To her, spending a whole afternoon in a shopping center was far worse than the Chinese Water Torture, in any of its forms. Sometimes she thought, a bit cynically, that one of the few advantages about having no family was that she had nobody to buy those stupid souvenirs for.

Therefore, while the rest of her group had cheered when the guide had announced they were going to spend a few hours in one of London's biggest shopping centres, she had let out a slight groan. Truth to be told, she had not been the only one to be less than thrilled, but the other ones whom did not share the overall enthusiasm were men…western men whose company she enjoyed almost as much as a whole week-end of non-stop shopping. Almost.

Yuki had no problems to admit that she completely lacked in social skills. But, come on, it was hard to enjoy the company of people who looked at her the same way you would look an exotic animal and kept mistaking her for a Chinese all the time – and, when corrected, they just shrugged and said that "there is not much difference". Some people shouldn't be allowed to speak _ever_, she had thought.

Still, she had enough common sense to know that beating up somebody while in a foreign land wasn't exactly a wise move, so she just kept avoiding their company as much as possible.

That's why she was now alone, wandering aimlessly through unknown streets while waiting for the rest of the group to finish shopping.

Their behaviour somehow annoyed her. They were in one of the most beautiful city in the world, with so many interesting things to see…why waste your time like this, doing something that you could do anywhere? To her, some people were an enigma.

Yuki snapped from his thoughts as she felt something warm and furry touching her leg. She looked down to see a ginger-colored cat nuzzling against her leg and purring. She crouched to pet its ears, and the cat purred loudly.

Yuki smiled slightly. She had always had a good feeling with animals. Maybe less good with human beings, but you couldn't expect too much.

Suddenly, the cat stopped purring and jumped away from her with a loud meow. It looked towards her and flattened his ears, hissing. It seemed terrified by something.

Realizing the cat was looking at something behind her Yuki turned around, taking a defensive stance. In front of her there was what seemed a luminescent cloud of smoke.

"Who's there?" she yelled "stop hiding and show yourself!"

"My, my" a well known voice said quietly "such a temper, as usual."

The cloud of smoke cleared, revealing the glowing, ghost-like figure of somebody who Yuki knew very well hovering a few feet from the ground.

"Sensei!"

* * *

Monkey Fist scratched his head. "Why do I never get an ace?" he grunted.

His monkey ninjas just shrugged, trying their best to look innocent. Their master sighed and put his cards down. "Alright, I quit. You can keep the bananas" he said as he got up and walked into the kitchen to get some tea. Thank goodness he had convinced his monkey ninjas to put bananas at stake instead of money: otherwise, he would have lost everything that was left of his family fortune within five minutes.

"_HUNNY BUNNY!_"

DNAmy's voice caused him to wince, and he almost let his teacup fall on the ground. It sounded so close that, for a frightening moment, he thought she got inside the castle, then he realized the window was slightly open. He sighed as he closed the window.

How was he supposed to go on with his research to find the Mystical Monkey Power with that woman screaming night and day? He had lost count of how many sleepless nights he had spent hearing her voice echoing inside every single room of the castle. He was almost sure she used a tape, at least during night: there was no other possible explanation. _What _had he done to make that excuse of a woman so obsessed with him?

"This has to end" he muttered.

Yes, but how? Just pretending he wasn't home was not working. He could have tried to send some monkey ninjas to scare her away, but he once again he decided against it. Last time he had tried to do so, DNAmy had altered their genetic code with iguana's DNA.

Creepy. Man, he still had _nightmares_ about it.

Confronting her personally was out of question. She wasn't going to let him put her aside, and he most definitely wasn't going to give her any reason to turn him into some sort of monkey-iguana hybrid. His DNA had already been altered once, and that was enough.

Monkey Fist took a sip of tea, thinking of a way to get rid of her at least for a while.

He glanced out of the window: it was a bright, sunny day. Weather had been wonderful since he got out of jail: two whole weeks without a cloud in the sky. Quite ironic, since England was especially famous for how much it rained and how cold it was. Maybe, with some rain and cold she wouldn't have stayed so much time…

His chain of thoughts abruptly stopped and his eyes widened as he realized. There _was_ a way to get rid of here for a while, after all!

With a smirk, he grabbed the phone and began to dial a number.

* * *

_Authour's note:_

_Just a couple of thing for the ones who are not familiar with Japanese: "Yuki" means "Snow", while her surname, "Tamashii", means "Spirit". Hence, the title (man, I'm SO unoriginal...XD). Yori calls her "Yuki-sempai" because in Japanese the term "sempai" is often used to refer an older and more experienced student._

_Oh, I almost forgot: I'd like to thank AIT98 for putting this story in his/her favourites. I could not thank him/her by private message since he/she disabled the private messaging feature, so I hope he/she'll read this. Thanks a lot!_


	3. Of storms, pink campers and odd requests

Sensei smiled warmly. "I'm glad to see you again, Yuki."

Recovering from the shock, Yuki bowed as the tradition required. Thankfully, she was in a desert street: otherwise, Sensei's appearance would have caused some trouble.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Sensei" Yuki said "I had no idea it was you."

"You don't need to apologize, you couldn't know. How's your vacation going?"

Yuki sighed. "Fine, thanks. But, since you're here, I guess my vacation is over."

Sensei nodded. "I'm afraid so. I'm sorry to bother you, but I have to ask you to do something very important for theYamanouchi school ".

Yuki bowed again. "If it's for Yamanouchi's sake, it will be my honour to help you. What must I do?"

"Have you ever heard of Monkey Fist?"

She nodded. "Yes. He's the one who tried to steal the Lotus Blade, isn't he?"

"Yes, it's him. He has been doing some research lately, and we're afraid he's trying once more to obtain the Mystical Monkey Power."

Yuki clenched her fists. "We have to stop him, then! Just tell me were I can find him and-"

Sensei shook his head. "Temper, temper" he chuckled, musing about how easily young people jumped to conclusions "we have no solid evidence he's doing all this to obtain power for himself. He's an Archaeologist – he may just be doing his job. He's already paid for his past crimes."

Yuki snorted. In her opinion a villain would always be a villain, no matter how much he would pretend that his life had changed. "So what must I do?" she asked.

"I'm asking you to keep an eye on his actions, and immediately warn us if you find any evidence that he's doing something wrong."

Yuki nodded. "It will be my honour. Where can I find him?"

"His true name is Lord Montgomery Fiske" Sensei said "he lives somewhere in England, in his family castle. I don't know exactly where it is, but…"

"I'll find out in no time" Yuki reassure him, thinking about the guide to English castles she had bought just two days before "don't worry about it."

Sensei smiled. "Thank you, Yuki. I'm counting on you. Just be careful."

"Don't worry, I won't fail you" she said as Sensei's figure faded in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

"Hello, here's Dr. Drakken's not-so-secret lair. May I help you?" a familiar voice asked a bit sharply.

"Hello…Shego, isn't it? It's Monkey Fist. May I speak with Drakken?"

"Yeah. Hang on for a moment, Monkey Freak."

He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pun.

"Hey, Monty!" Drakken's voice greeted him "how are you doing? I heard you finally got out of jail. Welcome back, then."

"Yes, I've been out for two weeks now. Listen, I have to ask you something."

"Spit it out."

"Do you remember that thing you told me about…you know, that weather-thing…" he wasn't very practical of anything related to technology.

"You mean the Weather Generator?" Drakken asked.

"Yes, that. Does it work?"

Drakken sighed. "Well, it _does_ work, I guess…"

"But?"

"…but not very well. It's not a tenth as good as the one Zorpox created."

Monkey Fist blinked. "Zorpox? Who's Zorpox?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know" Drakken said dismissively "anyway, _this_ Weather Generator can only control weather on very small areas and–"

"That's perfect!" Monkey Fist exclaimed "may I ask you a favour?"

"What kind of favour?"

"I need you create a storm upon my castle?"

There was a minute of silence. "A storm?" Drakken finally asked.

"Yes, a storm. A strong one, with rain, lightning, cold wind and everything. Could you do that?"

"Are you kidding? Of course I can. It just escapes me why you should want me to create a storm upon your head."

"Well…there's somebody hanging around my castle who I do not appreciate being here."

"You mean lil' miss 'I can do anything' and her dumb sidekick?"

"Uh…yes" Monkey Fist answered, not wanting to get into details.

"Alright, then" Drakken said "how much do you want this storm to last?"

"How about a wee–"

"_Cuddlebuddy!_"

"What was that?" Drakken asked, puzzled.

"Nothing" Monkey Fist said quickly "listen, how about a_ month_?"

"Are you sure? Once I activate the storm, there will be no way to stop it before time runs out. You would be stuck inside a whole month."

"No problem. I'm too busy here to get out for quite a while anyway, and I have enough supplies to last two months."

"How about tea?" Drakken teased.

The monkey man smiled slightly. "I've got enough Earl Grey for a lifetime."

Drakken laughed. "Man, you're acting as if you were under siege!"

"More or less…" Monkey Fist grunted "so, what about this storm?"

"Just give me some time to charge the Generator – it needs a lot of energy, believe me – and you will have your storm. It will probably began shortly before midnight, and it's gonna be most violent storm you've ever seen, I swear."

"Perfect" he said, relieved "I owe you one."

"No big" Drakken answered with a screechy voice, in a mocking imitation of the Kim Possible that made Monkey Fist laugh for the first time in weeks.

* * *

It was almost midnight as a figure wearing a black ninja suit, a shadow among shadows, began climbing the southern wall of Castle Fiske with the full moon as only witness of her actions.

Yuki climbed swiftly – the result of a whole life of ninja training – and in no time she reached the roof. She smirked as she saw a skylight just a few feet of her. An _open _skylight.

"Looks like break in is going to be easier than I thought…" she whispered to herself. She silently approached the skylight, careful to not make a sound. Rule number eleven: a ninja must be as silent as a…

"_CUDDLEBUDDY!_"

Taken aback by the sudden shriek, Yuki staggered and almost fell from the roof. Quickly recovering from shock, she jumped backwards and took a defensive stance. She blinked as she realized that nobody else was on the roof with her. Yuki stood motionless for a while, then slowly relaxed. Maybe the scream was coming from the ground below…

"_HUNNY BUNNY!_"

…yeah, definitely from below.

"Hunny Bunny? What in earth…"

Curious, she approached the edge to see who had screamed. Outside the castle, just in front of the main entrance, was parked a camper. A _pink_ camper, to be exact.

_Weird place to go camping_, she thought.

From up there, she could barely the figure of a, short, fat woman – she though it was a woman, judging by the voice – standing out of the camper. She was holding something in her right hand, but Yuki didn't understand what it was until the woman raised it in front of her mouth.

"MONTYKINS!"

A megaphone. Yuki shrugged and went back to the skylight. Whatever that crazy gal was up to, it was none of her business. She had to find out what Monkey Fist was up to.

Just as she slid inside the castle and closed the skylight behind her, the first raindrops began to fall.

* * *

Monkey Fist sighed in relief as he saw the first raindrops splattering on the window.

"Looks like that weather-thing works" he muttered to himself. Looking outside, he could see DNAmy get inside her camper as rain began to fall harder. It was just a matter of time before she would drive away to escape the storm, he thought with satisfaction.

He sat in his favourite armchair before the fireplace and picked up a cup of tea from the table nearby. The fact that he was going to spend a whole month isolated from the rest of the world did not bother him. He did not feel any need of human company: he was just fine with his monkey ninjas as his only companions. He had always been a loner anyway.

He shrugged, sipping his tea, and went back to read an ancient book. This was going to be a quiet month: just him, his monkey ninjas and nobody else.

* * *

Yuki shivered as she wandered through many huge, empty rooms. The castle was dark and cold, and it was clear that nobody had bothered to clean up recently. That place made her feel claustrophobic. How could someone live alone in such a gloomy place? He had to be even crazier than the others told her.

She sighed as she entered into another empty room. Unless she though of something to make her investigation quicker, this was going to take forever.

_Alright – _she thought – _if I were some psycho monkey-obsessed English lord with something compromising to hide, where would I hide it?_

Yuki shook her head as she stepped back in the alley. No, this wasn't going to work. She had no idea of where some crazy monkey-man would keep compromising stuff.

She snapped from her thoughts as she heard some squealing coming from behind a corner.

_Monkeys, _she realized. Of course, hadn't Yori told her he used trained monkeys as his henchmen? A sudden thought occurred to her. Maybe she could just follow them instead of just wander aimlessly through the castle: it was by far the best plan she had came up since she was there.

As the squealing came closer, Yuki quickly climbed up the wall and hid behind a beam. She stayed still as four or five monkeys walked past her hiding place.

Then, still walking upon the beams, she began to follow them.


	4. Inside the the monkey's den

_Author's notes._

_Just to avoid confusion: the last part of the chapter - the part written in italics - is a scene which happens shortly after the events of the first chapter (I do believe such thing is called "flash forward", but I'm too lazy to check it out now XD. Correct me if I'm wrong.)_

_Er...I DID tell you that most of the story is basically a huge flashback, didn' I?_

_- goes to check the Author's notes on the first chapter -_

_...yep, I did. Enjoy!_

* * *

The storm was getting stronger now. Glancing out of the window, Monkey Fist could barely see DNAmy's awful pink camper through the pouring rain. The wind was getting stronger too, he could hear it howling around the old castle. A small smile formed on his lips as a thunder covered the sound of the rain against the window.

As a kid, he had always been fascinated by storms. He chuckled to himself as he remembered how, every time there was a storm, he used to open the window despite his mother's prohibitions to admire its wilderness and fury.

She always got angry when she caught him doing so, he remembered. Since her husband's death for pneumonia, she had been paranoid about her only child's health.

"Montgomery Fiske," she would have said, her hands on her hips "you're in trouble now, young sir!"

Which meant _deep_ trouble, of course, like every time she called him with his full name. Most of times he ended up being grounded for a while, at least until Bates managed to calm her down.

But the prohibition – not to mention flu, which he often got after those little misdeeds – did nothing but increase his fascination toward violent storms. Monkey Fist smiled with an odd fondness at the memory of the foolish, stubborn young boy he had once been. To him, storms were the proof of how untameable Nature really was, despite all human efforts to tame it. So different from the quiet, predictable lifestyle everyone expected him to lead as the last descendant of a noble family.

Monkey Fist shrugged. Of course, _this_ storm had nothing to do with Nature. It had been created by man, much like his monkey hands and feet. But still…

Lost in his thoughts, he let his gaze wander out of the window. As he glanced at the spot were DNAmy's camper had been minutes before, he was most relieved to see the camper was finally gone. She had probably decided there was no use into staying while she couldn't even put her nose out of the camper. Good riddance.

He was still gazing at the storm as he felt something pulling his robe. He looked down at the monkey ninjas who were trying to get his attention.

"Oh, here you are. Did you make sure all the windows are closed?"

* * *

Yuki wasn't sure of how long she had been following the monkey ninjas through the castle's alleys walking on the beams near the ceiling and careful to not make a sound. To her, it could be hours: the castle was much bigger than she had though. It was going to take forever to search anything suspicious: the thought almost made her groan.

Oh, well, it didn't really matter anyway: she knew there was a storm outside, she could hear the thunders and the patter of drops against the walls, and she surely wasn't going anywhere until was finished.

Just her luck.

Sensei would have chided her, for patience was very important characteristic for a ninja.

Much to her displeasure, patience was obviously something she totally _lacked_ of.

Therefore, she almost sighed in relief as she and the monkey ninjas finally got inside a large living room.

Unlike the rest of the castle, inside the living room it was warm. There was no light on, except for the fire that crackled into a large fireplace, casting flickering shadows on the walls. The room was even more sinister than he rest of the castle, Yuki thought as she silently got in, but at least it was not so terribly cold.

She looked down. In front of the fireplace there was a red armchair, near which there was a small table. On the table there was a very ancient-looking book.

Yuki smiled to herself. Lady Luck was still with her, after all. Maybe she could climb down and take it without those monkeys noticing her…

She shuddered and almost lost her balance as she heard a voice just a few feet away.

"Oh, here you are. Did you make sure all the windows are closed?"

Yuki caught herself just in time before doing something very stupid – like falling down from the ceiling right in front of their noses, just to say one – and looked in the direction where the voice was from.

Not very far from her, glancing out of a window, stood a tall, dark-haired man wearing a dark red robe. She could not see his face, for he was giving her his back. She was kind of surprised by the realization that he had to be Monkey Fist himself. By hearing Yori's description she had thought he was some sort of weird-looking, savage creature, more resembling an animal than a man. Now she was surprised to see that, at least seen from behind, he looked like a normal man.

He was speaking with somebody she could not see from her position. She silently moved closer, and blinked as she realized he was speaking with his monkey ninjas. _Speaking_ with them, as if he could understand their whimpers.

Yuki shrugged. Oh, well…after all he had trained them to fight and follow his orders, hadn't he? Then it was totally possible that he had elaborated some sort of code to communicate with them.

She got as close as she could without being spotted to better listen the unusual conversation.

"So, the skylight was closed" Monkey Fist scowled "are you sure you left it open earlier?"

All monkey ninjas nodded while Yuki, a few feet above their heads, cursed her own stupidity. A ninja should _never _leave any proof of its presence. She hadn't thought that someone could notice the skylight had been closed. But a ninja should _never _act without thinking first.

Why couldn't she just get it right? She had never, _ever_ made such mistakes before…why now?

And most important…what would have happened to her if she was caught? She hadn't thought about this eventuality, focused as she was on her mission. She was a good fighter – she had spent her whole life training in martial arts, after all – and she had never lost a fight in years. But now she could see she was outnumbered: there were at least ten monkey ninjas there, not counting Monkey Fist.

How many chances did she stand against a master of Tai Shing Pek Kwar? What if…

_Stop this!_ – she thought angrily. She couldn't let herself think negative: her honour and maybe the whole world's safety were at stake. No matter what would happen, she wasn't going to give up without a fight.

Below her, Monkey Fist was beginning to panic. No matter how much he tried to convince himself that it could have been the wind to shut the skylight, he could not stop himself from thinking about the awful possibility that DNAmy had somehow managed to get inside the castle after pretending to leave. If she actually had – and he hoped with all his soul she _hadn't_ – he was stuck inside with her for a whole month, until the storm finished.

_I may have trapped myself with my own hands. God, I swear that if she actually got in I'm just going to get out of here,_ _storm or not. Being struck by lighting would be less painful and surely more honorable._

He shook his head, trying to get such thoughts out of his head. The skylight was very small, he reminded himself, and DNAmy was far too fat to get through it. Maybe it had really been the wind…or maybe, somebody else had sneaked inside the castle.

He had to find out, he decided.

"I do not want any intruder here. Check every single room of the castle."

Yuki relaxed slightly as she watched the monkey ninjas scurried outside. It was quite ironical: she was in the same room with the nefarious Monkey Fist…and yet that was the only safe room in the castle.

She looked at him again. He had turned to watch his monkey ninjas scurrying out of the room, and now she could see his face. He had indeed a human face despite some slightly monkey-like features, she noticed. Her gaze lingered on his dark blue eyes for a few moments.

As he moved from the window and began to pace back and forth across the room, Yuki finally understood why Yori had described him as a "monkey man": his hands and feet were actually a _monkey's_ hands and feet.

Creepy. Man, she was going to have nightmares about it.

She turned her glance away from his hands and let it wander in his face. He seemed anxious: his eyes kept flashing at the door, and he was nervously biting his lower lip.

He kept pacing back and forth until his monkey ninjas came back. She could not understand their whimpers, but she had a good guess of what they were saying: no intruder had been found inside the castle.

Monkey Fist seemed immensely relieved to hear the news. "Fine" he said "it must have been he wind, then. You are dismissed – do whatever you want, just don't bother me for the next two hours. Understand?"

As the monkey ninjas scurried out of the room, Monkey Fist sat cross-legged in his armchair with a sigh and grabbed the book on the table.

_Now, back to work – _he thought.

Yuki smiled as she saw him open the book. Finally!

Silently, she crawled just above his head to take a peak at the book while he was reading.

* * *

"_How is he?" Sensei asked._

_The young man shrugged. "__I personally took care of his wounds" he said "he's not in real danger, but he's terribly in pain. Maybe, with some painkillers…"_

_Sensei shook his head. "No painkillers for him" he said sternly "he has a lesson to learn. Anything else?"_

"_Well…" the other man seemed uncomfortable "he has high fever, and he doesn't sleep well. He keeps…saying things in his sleep. Bad thoughts, very bad thoughts."_

"_What kind of thoughts?"_

"_He keeps pleading Death to come for him. I'm afraid he might try to kill himself."_

"_I understand" Sensei sighed "tie him up, then. Desperate men can do desperate things."_

_He turned to leave, but the young man stopped him. "Sensei, are you sure you don't want to tell him…you know…"_

_The older man shook his head. "Not yet. As I said, he has a lesson to learn – he will have to learn it the hard way."_


	5. Gotta love first impressions

For the next two hours, the only sounds you could in the large room were the sound of the storm outside and the fire roaring in the fireplace.

Sprawled upon the beam, Yuki yawned silently.

If she had hoped she could read something from up there, she had been mostly disappointed: the handwriting of the book was far too small for her to read from the ceiling, and there were no pictures that could help her to figure out what the book was about. For a moment she had though about leaving the room and explore the rest of the castle, but she had decided against it: with the monkey ninjas around, it would have been too easy to get caught.

She had not expected their presence. She had never had anything to do with Monkey Fist before, and everything she knew about him – that was not much – had been told her by Yori (which actually would most likely rant something about how strong and noble Stoppable-san was instead of answering her questions about Monkey Fist). She had told her he had monkey ninjas, but since Monkey Fist had been in jail for quite some time Yuki had just assumed they had left the castle during his absence…but she was wrong.

That was a problem: with about a dozen of trained monkey ninjas loose in the castle, it was going to be much more difficult to get unnoticed. She glanced out of the window: the storm was growing stronger yet – probably it was one of the worst she had ever witnessed. She wondered how much it was going to last, since it was clear she was not going to leave the castle until it had subsided.

That was another problem: she had planned to stay into the woods near the castle, occasionally sneaking in to get some information, and then go reporting Sensei should she find anything suspicious. But now, how could she report anything to Sensei when she could not leave the castle? Besides, should the storm last more than, say, two days…could she stay inside the castle more than two days straight without being caught by one of the monkey ninjas or Monkey Fist himself? How was she going to eat? What if one of the monkeys caught her scent?

Yuki shook her head with a worried look. Maybe Sensei had made a mistake sending _her_ to keep an eye on Monkey Fist. She knew almost nothing about him – how could she deal with an enemy she knew nothing about?

She blinked as she heard a faint sound that wasn't there before. She glanced down: Monkey Fist had fallen asleep on the armchair, snoring slightly, the book closed and clutched to his chest.

For a moment Yuki considered trying to get the book away from his grasp. If it wasn't for that wretched storm, she wouldn't have thought twice: she would have grabbed the book, no matter if he woke up, and she would have ran out of the castle as fast as she could.

But right now, with the impossibility to get out of there, she quickly changed her mind: it would have been far too dangerous. Had Monkey Fist been alone, she may have tried to fight him. But again, there were the monkey ninjas to make everything complicated.

Yuki held back a sigh of frustration: it looked like she could do nothing at the moment.

She just sat still on the beams near the ceiling, carefully looking at the sleeping monkey man below her. She frowned slightly as she noticed that his sleep was not an easy one: his breathing was irregular at times, and his features upset. He sometimes mumbled something she could not hear, clutching the book tighter and shifting uncomfortably in his sleep.

Yuki couldn't help but wonder what he was dreaming of.

_He's obsessed with power – _Yori's words echoed in her head_ – he devoted his whole life to power, and his obsession is driving him insane. He's slowly losing his mind. He will never admit, but I think that deep inside he knows it. _

Yuki bit her lower lip. There was something deeply melancholic in the whole situation, in the way he kept tossing and turning; in the way he kept holding that book as if it was the most precious thing he possessed. He seemed so helpless, trapped in his own tortured imagination.

Her gaze wandered through the dark, empty room.

_He must be very lonely, living here alone with a bunch of monkeys – _she thought sympathetically, then she mentally slapped herself.

What the _hell_ was she thinking? He was a villain. He was her enemy. She could not feel sympathy for an enemy.

No way.

A small squealing sound suddenly caught her attention: a monkey ninja had just gotten in, holding a bowl of fruit for his master. The small creature stopped squealing as it noticed Monkey Fist was asleep. The monkey ninja just stood beside the armchair for a few moments, seeming unsure of what to do, then it silently put down the bowl and scurried outside.

Once again alone with Monkey Fist, Yuki was seriously considering to grab some fruit: she couldn't even remember the last time she had eaten, and he surely wouldn't have noticed a missing banana...

Before she could move, however, the monkey ninja scurried back in carrying a blanket. Yuki watched in awe as the small monkey gently wrapped the blanket around its master's shoulders, careful to not wake him. It was clear that the little animal had noticed that its masters was having a troubled sleep, and it had just assumed – as any animal would have – that he was cold.

Monkey Fist moved slightly in his sleep, unconsciously wrapping the blanked tightly around his body, as if he was desperate for some warmth even though he was sitting near the fire. His breathing slowly became steadier, and his upset expression melted into a peaceful one.

Then, without making a sound, the monkey left the room.

Yuki was most impressed by how much the little creature seemed to care for his master. She glanced back at Monkey Fist, who was now sleeping peacefully, looking as if a great weigh had just been lifted from him. Her stomach grumbled as she looked at the bowl of fruit on the table.

It was risky, just climbing down and grab some fruit right under Monkey Fist's nose. But she needed to eat something, _now_. She had no idea of _when _she could have this possibility. What if she did not get any chance to eat for, say, the next two or three days? She did not think that fainting for hunger – and maybe even falling down from the ceiling just in front of Monkey Fist's eyes, considering her luck – would have helped her. Not at all. Besides, with her stomach empty she wouldn't be able to put up a decent fight in case of emergency.

Her stomach grumbled again.

_That's it – _she though_ – I'm going to take the risk. _

She quickly climbed down and silently approached the table. She was so close to Monkey Fist that she could hear his breathing. He didn't even flinch in his sleep as she grabbed a couple of bananas and quickly climbed up again.

Yuki grinned.

_Piece of cake – _she though, then she began to eat – _mmh_…_much better._

She yawned again as she swallowed the last bite: she was getting sleepy. She glanced around. She could get some sleep after all, couldn't she? There wasn't much more to do anyway, and she needed to rest. Without thinking twice, Yuki sprawled upon the beam and closed her eyes.

_Just for a few minutes…just for a few…_

Before she could even finish the thought, she fell asleep.

* * *

She awoke very early the next morning – it was about six o'clock, according to the grandfather clock in the room. She was disappointed to see that the storm was still going on outside. How long was it going to last? 

Holding back a sigh, she glanced down…and was surprised to see that Monkey Fist wasn't on the armchair anymore: the room was empty. He probably was an early riser, she thought.

She glanced down again, and she was delighted to see that the ancient book he was reading the day before was upon the table. Now she could see it a bit closer, enough to read the title…or, at least, the part of title still visible on the weary cover: " _..he…Ob…ia…Mo…ey._"

Yuki smiled to herself. This was perfect: now she could finally find out what Monkey Fist was up to. She quickly climbed down, reaching for the book…

"_Monkey ninjas, attack!" _a voice suddenly shouted.

Yuki barely had time to turn before the monkey ninjas were on her, as if they had just jumped out of nowhere.

Monkey Fist grinned as he watched the girl trying to fight off his monkey ninjas.

"There is no way you can beat them by yourself, no matter how much you try" he said quietly, even though he wasn't sure she could hear him. He was proud of his monkey ninjas martial skills. "They are highly trained. If you really want to beat them you must be expert, you must be quick and you must…OW!"

He let out a small yelp as one of his monkey ninjas was thrown through the room and hit him square in his chest, throwing them both against the wall.

"…you must be joking" he finished, stunned, as he saw that the girl was actually _overcoming_ his monkey ninjas. He had to admit, her martial art form was perfect.

"Monkey ninjas, retreat!" he ordered.

The monkey ninjas scampered away from Yuki and went to their master's side.

Yuki glanced at him, still panting for the battle but ready to fight for her life. Much to her surprise, Monkey Fist showed no intention to fight. They just stared each other for a while.

She was clearly Japanese – her almond eyes, jet black hair and skin color told him that much – and the fact she was wearing a ninja outfit gave him a good guess about _where_ she was from.

_A Yamanouchi student – _he thought – _great_. _I should have known the old fool wouldn't just leave me alone._

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it is extremely rude, sneaking into somebody's house without being invited?" he finally asked.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it id extremely rude, unleashing some psycho monkeys against a woman?" she retorted.

Some of the monkeys squealed in protest.

"Alright, sorry" Yuki said, a little amused despite the situation "scratch away the 'psychos' part".

While his monkey ninjas stopped squealing, Monkey Fist looked out of the window. The storm was stronger than ever…and it wasn't going to subside for quite a while.

_You have a problem, Monty._

He sighed and turned his attention back to the intruder. Something told him that this was going to be a hard nut to crack.


	6. Stuck inside

Monkey Fist scowled, his eyes still fixed on the girl. She was a bit older than the girl Sensei usually sent after him, he though. She was probably in her mid-twenties.

"So…didn't you tell me there was no intruder inside the castle?" he asked sharply at his monkey ninjas, narrowing his eyes.

The monkey ninjas made some apologetic sounds.

"Don't blame _them_, Monkey Fist" Yuki said with a smirk, still in defensive stance "I've spent the whole nigh in _this_ room, just above _your_ head. If you really want to blame someone, blame yourself."

Monkey Fist gave her an annoyed look and stepped forward, while the monkey ninjas exchanged some quick smirks behind his back.

As he came closer, Yuki took a step backwards to keep come distance between them. Monkey Fist stopped, and so did Yuki.

While they silently gazed each other, Monkey Fist was thinking quickly, the gears in his head running at full speed.

His natural reaction by seeing an intruder inside his home ad been, of course, unleashing his monkey ninjas against her. Now he realized he had almost made big a mistake: getting rid of that girl would have brought him more trouble than she was worth. He was certain she had been sent by Sensei to keep an eye on him: if she did not come back, he would have had the Yamanouchi ninjas against him once again, and it was his interest to avoid any hostility with them…just until he would finally become the Ultimate Monkey Master, of course. After that, it would have been his pleasure to wipe those insignificant fools away from history.

He smiled slightly as he realized that the girl's presence could work to his advantage. If he could earn her trust, make her believe he was actually behaving, there was a strong possibility that Sensei and his ninjas would have stopped to bother him.

This could take quite some time – at least a month, considering the fact she was not going to leave until the storm had subsided – but it was worth a shot. After all, he had been longing to become the Monkey Master for years: he could wait a bit more.

Yuki shifted nervously as she saw him smirk. She didn't like this. Not at all.

"You're from Yamanouchi, aren't you?" he finally asked, though he already knew the answer.

"So what if I am?" she asked defiantly, keeping her guard on.

Monkey Fist merely shrugged. "I should have known that Sensei wouldn't just leave me in peace" he said "how long have you been here?"

"That's none of you business."

The monkey man grinned. "I actually think it _is_. In case you haven't noticed, this is my home" he gestured the room "and what you're doing is commonly called 'violation of private property'. Which is, to be perfectly blunt, a crime."

Yuki frowned. "You are the only criminal here."

"Prove it" he said sharply.

"What?" she blinked. She hadn't expected this kind of answer.

"Prove it" he repeated "show me some evidence I'm evading law."

"Don't play dumb with me, Monkey Fist!" Yuki exclaimed "I know you're up to no good. The book you were reading…"

"You mean this?" Monkey Fist smirked as he put his hand upon the cover "since when reading is a crime?"

"You know what I mean."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't" he said, still smirking.

"I'm sure that book is about some kind of mystical monkey idol" she snapped "and you're trying to find it."

Monkey Fist thought quickly. He did not know how closely she had managed to look at the book before his monkey ninjas attacked, and he could not let her caught him lying if he wanted to earn her trust. He had to be straightforward.

"As a matter of fact" he said "you're right. I'm looking for a monkey idol – the Obsidian Monkey, to be exact…"

Yuki blinked, stunned by the fact he was willingly admitting he was guilty.

"…but still, this proves nothing" he finished "as you may know, I am an archaeologist. I'm just doing my work. You have nothing to hold against me."

Yuki had to admit that he had a point. He was not trying to steal anything, like he had done with the Lotus Blade: he was just an archaeologist looking for an ancient idol. There was no evidence he was actually up to something evil, no matter how sure she was about it.

"So, as you can see, I'm not evading any law. _You_ are" he folded his arm over his chest " and I do not appreciate strangers sneaking inside my castle."

"What are you going to do, then? Call the police?" it was a funny thought, in a way: a villain calling the police.

Monkey Fist shook his head.

"Do you actually think anyone could easily get near the castle with such a storm going on?"

She looked out of the window. He was right: there was no way anybody could get out with such weather. She shifted slightly, getting ready to fight "What are you planning to do? Kill me for trespassing? I have to warn you then – I'm not going down without a fight."

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'd want to hurt you?"

Yuki just rolled her eyes. "I don't know…maybe the fact you unleashed a dozen of trained monkey ninjas against me gave me the wrong idea" she said sarcastically.

The monkey man shrugged. "That was just an instinctive reaction. You must understand – I have the tendency to get a bit nervous when I see a perfect stranger in my living room. What would you do if you find a stranger sneaking inside the Yamanouchi School?"

Yuki smiled a little. "Fist attack, then ask" she said "well, I guess you have a point here."

"I'm glad to see we agree on something" Monkey Fist muttered "now…may I ask your name?"

"Yuki Tamashii."

"Fine. Now, Yuki" he said, holding up his hands "I have no interest in hurting you, believe me. Why should I? I'm not doing anything wrong, and I have nothing to hide…"

"Why should I believe you?" Yuki cut him off, looking at him sceptically.

Monkey Fist sighed. "Alright, then…let's put it this way: should anything happen to you, I would have the Yamanouchi School against me..._again._ It would go against my own interest, don't you think?"

Yuki though about it. "You have a point. A_gain_" she finally admitted, putting her guard down "anyway, Monkey Fist…" she paused, frowning.

"What?"

"Do you have any name other than 'Monkey Fist'?" she asked "no offence, but it's quite a mouthful to say, you know. And 'Montgomery' isn't much better."

He grunted, a bit annoyed. "You can call me 'Monty', if my name is too difficult to say…"

She ignored his annoyed tone. "It's Monty, then. Anyway" she said with a grin "if you've really quit being a villain, I guess you wouldn't mind if I stay for a while. Just to be sure you're actually behaving, you know."

Much to her surprise, he didn't seem worried or annoyed. "That's not a problem" he just said "you're not going to leave for quite a while anyway."

Yuki froze. "You want to hold me captive, don't you?" she said sharply.

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "Do you _always_ have to jump to wrong conclusions?"

She smiled a little. "Yes. So…I must assume you're not going to keep me here by force. What makes you think I'm not leaving for 'quite a while', then?"

"The storm" he simply said, gesturing toward the window "you're stuck here until it subsides."

Yuki shrugged. "I thought worse. Honestly, how much do you expect this storm to last?"

"A month" he replied. Then, seeing her stunned expression, he corrected himself "excuse me – twenty-nine days, to be exact."

She blinked. "You're kidding, aren't you?"

"Nope. This is not a normal storm – it has been created by a scientist I know, and it's not going to subside before the end of the month."

"_Why _in earth should anyone unleash a stormlike this?" Yuki asked, puzzled.

"I asked him to unleash it upon my castle. I…well, let's just say I wanted to get rid of a certain someone."

"A certain someone?" she repeated "wait a second…do you mean the woman who was out here yesterday night? The one yelling weird things like…"

"Yes, that one. Now, as I was saying…" Monkey Fist said quickly, hoping to change topic before she could understand DNAmy was referring to him.

Fat chance: Yuki began to chuckle as she realized that the fat woman she had seen the night before was actually using those weird names to call Monkey Fist himself.

"_Montykins_… _Cuddlebuddy_…" she chuckled "you _do_ have other nicknames besides 'Monkey Fist', then."

Monkey Fist frowned. "You know, this is extremely embarrassing – that's exactly why I wanted to get rid of her. Now, would you please –"

"I think she also called you 'Hunny Bunny', correct me if I'm wrong…"Yuki cut him off, smirking.

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't see what's so amusing about this."

"Nothing, really. I just didn't know you had fangirls" Yuki was still grinning. It was kind of fun, teasing a villain. "I bet you also have a fanclub somewhere."

"This has to be the most stupid thing I've ever heard" Monkey Fist replied dryly. He was beginning to realize what kind of trouble he had just gotten himself into, and he did _not_ like it.

_Lord, give me strength._

"Maybe I should call you 'Cuddlebuddy' as well…would you mind?" she asked innocently.

"As a matter of fact, I _would_" he snapped. She was really getting on his nerves.

"Hey, I was just kidding. No need to pout."

"I am _not_ pouting."

"Yes you are!"

"Do you _have_ to be so childish?"

"Says the one who acts like a monkey."

"_Oh, for the love of…_"

The monkey ninjas, who had just stayed silent during the whole conversation, exchanged curious glares as the arguing went on, wondering why their master and the human intruder were arguing like an old married couple instead of fighting properly.

One of them began to shuffle a deck of cards, and soon all of them were playing poker again. Monkeys are perceptive creatures, and they had the feeling that the arguing was going to last quite a while.


	7. Annoying guest

_Author's notes: again, the last part of the chapter - the part written in italics - is keeping in with the timeline presented in the first chapter. Yep, another flash forward. I like those, there will be more in the upcoming chapters. XD_

_Enjoy._

* * *

"Let me guess" Yuki said as they went up another flight of stairs "you're going to lock me up in the highest room of the tallest tower, aren't you?" 

"Is this supposed to be a joke?"

"Nope, I am serious. If I didn't know how much you enjoy my company, I'd think you're trying to lead me astray" she said sarcastically.

Monkey Fist gritted his teeth, trying to not snap. He was supposed to be calm and friendly in order to gain her trust, but it was kind of difficult to be friendly while dealing the most irritating person he had ever met. Besides Stoppable, of course.

"You know, I think you may just try to appreciate the fact I'm giving you a room to stay, especially since you were _not_ invited."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but it is _your_ fault if I'm stuck here for a month. You are the one who had the _brilliant_ idea to unleash this storm."

"That's not the point. You shouldn't even be here in the first place."

"Hey, it was not my choice to make. If you really have to blame someone, blame Sensei. I was in holiday until yesterday – it's not like I'm enjoying being trapped inside an old castle with you and your monkey buddies. By the way, what do you do in your spare time? Besides reading ancient books about monkey idols, eating bananas, drinking tea and sleeping near the fire, I mean."

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes.

_Besides planning to become the Ultimate Monkey Master and take over the world?_

"Well…meditation, of course, and daily training, and…"he thought for a moment "not much more, actually."

"Sounds pretty boring to me."

He gave her an annoyed look. "Oh, really? And what do _you_ do in Yamanouchi School every day, besides meditating and training?"

"Not much. But at least, I have some company back there" she said, striking a calculated blow.

Monkey Fist frowned. "I have company too."

"I mean _human_ company."

He shrugged. "I don't need that. I never enjoyed human company very much anyway."

She glared at him. "Neither do I. But everyone needs some human warmth."

"Everyone but _me_" he said sharply.

Yuki though about the way he had wrapped the blanked around his body the night before, desperately seeking for some warmth. "I hit a nerve, didn't I?"

"Listen" he said, trying his best to sound calm "I believe we agree about one thing: we're not enjoying this situation. Don't you think we should at least try to get along reasonably? It would be better for both of us."

_Especially for my nerves_ – he added mentally.

Yuki shrugged. "I guess you're right" she admitted "so…are you going to give me a tour of the castle, or I have to ask your monkeys?"

He blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well, since I'm going to stay for a while, I have some questions which need an answer. You know, such as 'where is the kitchen', 'where is the dining room' and 'is there a bloody bathroom in this castle'. Stuff like that."

"The dining room?"

"Yes. You know, a room where people usually eat in…"

"I _know_ what a dining room is" he snapped "it's just…I haven't eaten there in years. I usually eat in the kitchen, or in the living room. It's been years since the last time there has been any human here. _Thankfully_" he added as he noticed the way she was looking at him.

"Oh…I understand." she said. Was it a hint of sadness she had heard in his voice for a moment? She couldn't tell.

"Anyway, we could train together someday" she said casually, curious to find out how much of a fighter he was "if you don't mind, of course. It doesn't seem like there will be much more to do for the next twenty-nine days."

He nodded. It had been years since the last time he had some training with anyone else than his monkey ninjas, but of course their fighting style was different from a human's. Besides, she really was a good fighter. Maybe training with her could have been useful, after all. "Why not?"

As they finally reached the end of the stairs, he stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.

"Here we are" he said, opening the door "it's quite dusty here – nobody has ever been here since my mother's death – but I think it will be fine with a little clean-up. Later I'll send my monkey ninjas to…are you listening to me?"

"Huh?" Yuki couldn't turn her gaze away from the room. It was huge, and by far the most luxurious room she had ever seen in her whole life – dust and everything. There were dark red draperies on the window, a satin canopy bed, a Persian carpet on the floor, a huge wardrobe and an enormous fireplace.

Monkey Fist couldn't hold back a smirk as he saw her stunned expression. "I must assume you haven't heard a word of what I just said, then…"

"What did you say?"

He sighed. "I said that it will take a couple of hours for the monkey ninjas to clean up properly, and…" he stopped, looking at her "well, I guess they'll have to make some laundry too."

Yuki blinked. "Laundry?"

"Are you going to wear the same suit for a month straight?"

"Oh…right. I hadn't thought about that" she grinned "it was a nice though, Monty, but somehow I don't think your girlfriend's clothes would be of my size."

Monkey Fist sighed, rubbing his temples. "Now, I'm going to say this one more time. Listen carefully, because I'm not going to repeat myself: that excuse of a woman is _not_, _never_ was and will _never_ be my girlfriend, not even in a billion years. Did I make myself clear enough?"

Yuki held up her hands. "Crystal clear, boss."

"Fine" he grunted, then he tried to smile. He was supposed to be acting friendly, after all. "Now…are you still up for a tour of the castle? This room is not going to be ready for a while anyway."

She nodded. "Alright. You lead."

* * *

"I had no idea there could be so many rooms in one castle" Yuki muttered as Monkey Fist went on showing some of the castle's room – obviously avoiding the areas he did not want her to see. 

"You haven't seen many English castles before, did you?"

"Nope. I was planning to visit some during the holiday, but then Sensei showed up" she shrugged "and here I am. Well, at least I got to visit a castle after all – and with an archaeologist, moreover. It could be worse. By the way, how old is this castle?"

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow, somehow amused. "Do you want a tour of the castle or a history lesson?"

"Possibly both."

"Alright then. But I warn you, I have the tendency to get tedious when I speak about history."

"Don't worry, I'll stop you if you get too boring."

Monkey Fist shrugged. "Very well, then…if I remember correctly, Castle Fiske was built around 1311 by one of my ancestors – probably Lord Marcus Fiske, though some sources –"

"Why did he build this castle?" she immediately interrupted him.

He sighed. He usually did not appreciate being interrupted, but since for once she was not arguing he did not want to start another discussion. "You see, a castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The term has a history of scholarly debate surrounding its exact meaning –"

"Stop."

"What _now_?"

"You're getting boring. I just wanted to know why your ancestor built the castle, not a lesson about the meaning of the word."

Monkey Fist took a deep breath. "Fine" he said "to put it in simple words, in the Middle Ages a castle served both as a fortress in war times – though the invention of gunpowder would have later limited its utility during war – and as a mere symbol of power. It was basically a way the nobles used to show everyone how rich and powerful they were –"

"Hey, Monty –"

"Don't tell me I'm getting boring _now_!" he snapped.

Yuki shook her head. "No, you're not. I was just wondering what's in there" she said, gesturing toward a large, heavily decorated wooden door.

Monkey Fist shrugged. "There's nothing special in there. Just some old family portraits and a lot of dust."

"Portraits?" Yuki asked "I haven't see any human portrait in the whole castle…only monkey stuff."

"It's because I removed them. I needed space for…other things. I put all the family portraits in this room" he opened the door and looked inside, turning the lights on "it's even dustier than I remembered…"

Yuki went inside the room. It was huge and cold, with no windows, empty except for a lot of portraits hanging on the stony walls.

"Do you mind if I look around?"

"Would it make any difference if I _do_ mind?"

"Nope."

Monkey Fist sighed as Yuki approached the portraits. "That's exactly what I thought."

* * *

"_Did you want to see me?"_

_Hirotaka nodded, bowing. "Yes, Sensei. I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation."_

"_Nevermind. What do you need?"_

"_It's about Monkey Fist" Yori said "he refuses to eat, and he's getting weaker and weaker. If the situation doesn't change, he's not going to make it through the week. We don't know what to do." _

"_I understand" Sensei sighed "I guess I'll have to talk to him."_

"_Sensei" Hirotaka said tentatively "he may regain his will to live, if you just tell him…"_

_The old man shook his head. "We already discussed this matter, Hirotaka. You know my answer."_

_Yori took a step forward. "Sensei...as much as I despise that man...still, isn't this punishment a bit too harsh?"_

"_Not much harsher than he deserves" Sensei said quietly "he brought this upon himself."_

"_But…"_

"_Life is full of choices" Sensei went on, ignoring Hirotaka's attempt to speak "and every choice we make has consequences. Monkey Fist made the wrong choices: he chose crime over justice and power over love. Now he has to face the consequences of his actions."_

**Watch your thoughts for they become your words; Watch your words for they become your actions;**

**Watch your actions for they become your habits; Watch your habits for they become your character;**

**Watch your character for it becomes your destiny. **

**(Author Unknown)**


	8. Pleading for death

_Author's notes: as usual, the part written in italics is keeping in with the timeline in the first chapter, yadda yadda yadda. You know the drill _

_Yep, the flash forward in this chapter is waaay longer than the other ones. I guess the sadist in me enjoys to make my favourite characters suffer. I'm so mean._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Monkey Fist gave Yuki another annoyed glare as she kept chuckling. "I'm afraid I fail to see what's so funny about that portrait" he said dryly. 

Yuki held back another chuckle, looking at the picture one more time. "It's just…you really look like some sort of…what's the name? Oh, yes…_Cuddlebuddy_."

He grimaced. "I though we agreed to put the whole 'Cuddlebuddy' thing as an off-limits topic…"

"No speaking about you Number One fangirl, right. Sorry, it slipped off my mind" she said apologetically, then she looked back at the painting.

It portrayed a man and a woman. The man – who resembled Monkey Fist a lot – was keeping an arm around the woman's shoulders. The woman was dressed with a beautiful blue dress whose color matched her eyes. They were both was gazing lovingly at what, at first sight, seemed just a small bundle of blankets cradled in the woman's arms.

"You _did_ look cute, you know…"

"I was about four months old when this portrait was made. Everyone looks…_'cute'_ as a baby."

Yuki looked at the picture more closely and laughed. "You were sucking your thumb!"

"So what? Babies do it all the time" he snapped.

"Monkey Fist, the Ultimate Thumb Sucker…." she muttered with a grin.

He scowled. "Is this supposed to be even _remotely_ funny?"

Yuki rolled her eyes. "You have no sense of humor, Monty".

"I do, but it's _English_ humor" he said with a shrug "I don't really expect you to get it."

"Ouch, that stung" she said sarcastically before turning to look at the family portrait again "why did you stuff in here?" she looked serious now.

"I told you, I needed space for–"

"…for you monkey stuff. I know" she said, and Monkey Fist was surprised to see she was frowning "I just can't believe you threw away a portrait of your family to put some monkey picture in its place."

"I didn't throw it away" he said, almost defensively "I just put it aside."

"You know what I mean."

Monkey Fist gritted his teeth in anger. "_Who do you think_…" he began, then but then he trailed off. This was not the time to lose his temper, especially to someone who, in his opinion, wasn't even worth having to explain his motives. It wasn't like she would understand, anyway. He cleared his throat and folded his arms over his chest.

"I do not believe I have to give you any kind of explanation" he said coldly "what I do with my family portraits is none of your business".

Much to his surprise, she merely nodded. "I guess you're right – it's none of my business" she said quietly, then she turned to leave the room "come on, I still need to see the rest of the castle."

Monkey Fist watched her leave the room, startled by her sudden change of behavior. He glanced back to the portrait, but he quickly turned away and left the room as well.

For some reason, he could not longer stand to look at it.

* * *

"Here's the kitchen" Monkey Fist said, turning on the light "you can use it wherever you want – there is enough food for a lifetime."

"What kind of food?"

"Mostly fruit and vegetables."

"No meat?" Yuki asked.

"Nope. I'm vegetarian" Monkey Fist answered, expecting some sarcastic remark.

She merely shrugged. "No problem. I'm not terribly fond on meat myself. By the way, I'm _starving_. What time is it?"

Monkey Fist glanced at the clock, and was surprised to see how quickly time had passed.

"It's midday" he said "maybe we could eat something. I'll tell the monkey ninjas to make some lunch; they should have done cleaning up your room now. Any preference?"

Yuki glanced at the rain splattering on the window. "How about noodle soup? I always eat it when it rains."

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow. "I must assume you're going to eat soup for a month straight, then."

* * *

"You know" Yuki said as she took a sip of soup, sitting cross-legged on a couch near of the fireplace "your monkey ninjas cook better than they fight."

Monkey Fist just snorted from his armchair. "I'll let them know" he said sarcastically. Her statement annoyed him – she had no _idea_ of how difficult it had been, training monkeys to martial arts.

"Hey, no offence intended. They can fight fairly well – but this has to be the best noodle soup I've eaten in ages."

He blinked. "So it was supposed to be some sort of compliment?"

"More or less."

Monkey Fist seemed amused. "You sound sarcastic even when you're trying to compliment someone."

She sneered. "I know. This caused me a lot of troubles back in Yamanouchi. You know, for 'disrespecting' elder students."

"Are you trying to make me believe you never meant to 'disrespect' anyone?" he asked with a hint of amusement, thinking about the only time he had gotten a detention back in Eton – he had called a professor 'brainless fool', without knowing that said professor was standing right behind him. His mother had nearly _killed_ him.

"Well…actually, most of times I _did_ mean what I said" Yuki admitted "but I eventually learned to get along with them fairly well, even though I'm most certainly not going to win any popularity contest."

"I wonder why" Monkey Fist said seriously "you're such a nice and good natured maiden."

She rolled her eyes. "Is this supposed to be British humor?"

He sneered. "Precisely."

* * *

"_You must eat something."_

"_Go away."_

_The old man shook his head. "I'm not leaving until you eat something."_

"_Get ready for a long waiting."_

"_I'll wait, then. I already told you I'm not going to let you die."_

_There was a long silence. Sensei watched at the man lying on the mattress, his wrists and ankles tied to prevent him from moving. He was covered in bandages, and he was turned to the wall, refusing to look at him. He was shivering violently, blankets tossed aside._

"_You really want your life to end." Sensei finally muttered._

"_I have nothing left to live for." _

"_That's true. You caused your own misery, and the knowledge that it is all your fault multiplies your anguish a thousand times" Sensei sighed __"very well, then. I guess I'll have to accomplish your wish."_

_The old man knelt by his side, and Monkey Fist whimpered, every nerve in his bruised body screaming in protest as Sensei's hand grabbed his dark hair and forced him to turn. Despite the pain, he immediately froze as he felt a knife's blade pressing lightly against his throat. He looked up at Sensei, whose expression was as serene as always, and he knew he was going to kill him. He closed his eyes, ready to welcome death._

"_Just tell me one thing, Monkey Fist" Sensei said quietly, still holding the knife firmly on his throat "when you meet Yuki on the other side…what are you going to tell her?"_

_Monkey Fist weakly opened his eyes. "What do you mean…?"_

"_How are you going to tell her that you threw away your life even though she gave up hers for you?"_

_The monkey man just cringed, saying nothing._

"_Answer to me, Monkey Fist" Sensei pressed the blade against his skin a bit harder "how are you going to tell her you let her death be good for nothing just because of your cowardice, because you wanted your sorrow to end, because you could not bear the consequences of your own actions – the __damnation of a loveless, lonely life__? How are you going to tell her this?"_

_Monkey Fist chocked back a sob. "You don't understand…I deserve to die." The__ look on his face, pain and terror and longing, was almost physically painful to witness. __He desperately wanted it to end. For his life, such as it was, to be over._

"_No, you don't: death would be a relief for you. You' __ve created the life you live now with your own hands – I think there's no punishment you so justly deserve as the life you now lead."_

_A dry sob escaped from the younger man's lips. "Please…"_

_Sensei looked into the broken man's eyes. "She would never forgive you for throwing away your life like this."_

"_She would never forgive me anyway."_

"_I think she would."_

"_I killed her, there is no forgiveness for this. I am damned."_

"_Not yet. __I'm not absolving you, but I know y__ou didn't kill her. You were merely one of the causes of her death – it's not like you forced her to give up her life so you could live. It has been her choice. But" Sensei almost whispered "if you let her death be good for nothing, you will really be damned."_

"_I already am. __There comes a time when crimes become too great to be redeemed.__"_

"_There's no soul who's past redemption – not even yours. But you will have to make the right choice, here and now."_

_Monkey Fist __swallowed a painful lump of sorrow, saying nothing. He knew what Sensei was about to ask._

"_Think, Monkey Fist…think about what I said and tell me: do you still wish to die?"_


	9. Pain in the neck, literally

Like many animals, monkeys are gifted with a sort of "sixth sense" that humans have not. No, they can't see dead people – but they can learn a lot for a mere glance or a slight change in one's voice tone. Anyway, the monkey ninjas didn't need any subtle signal to understand that something was wrong with their master – it was clear enough, especially since he was treating this intruder like a _guest_ instead of having her thrown out with some broken limbs, much like he would usually do.

They couldn't know about Monkey Fist's intentions to make Yamanouchi believe he was behaving in order to go on with his research for the Obsidian Monkey undisturbed, therefore they had no idea of what was going on.

Well, maybe they _had _some idea…

* * *

Yuki put away the empty bowl with a satisfied sigh. "Much better" she said appreciatively. She got up. "Monty?"

"What?"

"Tell me once again where is the bathroom?"

He grinned. "Which one?"

"The _closer_ one."

"Turn left, then turn right at the end of the alley. Take the first flight of stairs you see and then turn left. It's the fourth door on the right."

Yuki chuckled "I think I'm going to get lost."

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, you're not going to get lost. I'm not that lucky" he grunted, but his lips curled in a slight smile.

"Luck is a fickle thing" she said with a shrug, walking toward the door "anyway, if I'm not coming back within two days, tell Yori I'm leaving her my cat" she joked.

"You have a cat?"

"Nope. But if I had one, I'd leave it to Yori."

Monkey Fist shook his head. "And people say _I'm_ weird…" he muttered to no one in particular as Yuki left the room.

A squeaking sound caught his attention as one of his monkey ninjas approached to him. The others were standing near the door, intently looking at him. He sighed. Sure, they wanted to ask him _why_ he hadn't thrown Yuki out of the castle, storm or not storm.

He was both wrong and right. The monkey ninjas _did _have a question to ask…but it wasn't exactly the kind he was expecting. He went pale as the monkey ninja squealed its question.

"_What the hell…" _he began, angered, then he paused and took deep breath, trying to not lose his temper. It wasn't worth it anyway.

"This has to be the most _ridiculous_ idea I've heard in my whole life" he said coldly, folding his arms over his chest and keeping his voice barely above a whisper – she could be listening, after all. Ninjas are tricky. "She's merely a worthless pawn in my plan. I need to gain her trust in order to make Sensei's followers leave me in peace – and I assure you it's the only thing holding me back from snapping her neck."

One of the monkey ninjas squealed something.

"I said NO!" Monkey Fist said louder, annoyed by his minion's insistence "read my lips: I absolutely do NOT – _no questions asked_ – LIKE having her around, and _that's final_!"

* * *

Yuki – who was indeed trying to eavesdrop the conversation trough the door – held back a sigh of frustration. Monkey Fist was doing exactly what she had hoped, speaking to his minions while he thought she wasn't there, but his voice was so low that she could not hear his words, and she couldn't understand the monkey ninjas squealing.

She rolled her eyes. Maybe he had figured out she had just pretended to go upstairs, and now he was keeping his voice low on purpose. Yuki _knew_ he was up to something evil – but still, there was nothing she could do. By letting her stay and willingly telling her what he was looking for, he had made sure she had nothing to hold against him: he wasn't evading law, he wasn't lying to her, he was doing nothing against her or Yamanouchi.

Most of 'bad guys' she had known in her life (who were not many, to be honest) completely lacked of brain, skills and common sense, but Monkey Fist clearly wasn't one of them. He was skilled, intelligent and cunning. And if there is one thing more dangerous than a villain, it's a _clever_ one.

Her hands were tied, and the cunning bastard knew it.

She shook herself out of her thoughts as she heard his voice coming from behind the door, at least two octaves higher than usual. She quickly pressed her ear against the door to listen.

"I said NO! Read my lips: I absolutely do NOT – _no questions asked_ – LIKE having her around, and _that's final_!"

For a moment Yuki just scowled at his rude comment – not that she cared, of course: she definitely DIDN'T like being with him either, after all – then, as the meaning of what she just heard sank into her brain, she turned bright red. Did the monkey ninjas _actually_ think that he was letting her stay because he _liked_ having her around?

This had to be the most _ridiculous_ idea she'd heard in her whole life. Yuki honestly didn't know if she should feel disgusted or just amused. Maybe both. She just made a face and pressed her ear against the door again.

"…and now get out of my sight. Instantly!"

Yuki backed away from the door just before it slammed open, the monkey ninjas scampering off the room. A couple of them stopped briefly and gave her a curious glare before scampering after the others.

Slumped in his armchair, Monkey Fist sighed and massaged his temples, feeling a massive headache building in his skull. He was beginning to remember_ why _he didn't feel any need of human company.

"I'm not going to make it through the month" he muttered.

"Hey, there's no reason to be that pessimistic. I don't bite" she paused "hard."

He turned to face her, a little startled. "I didn't hear you coming."

Yuki shrugged. "I'm a ninja, remember?" she said casually "a pain in the neck, maybe – but still a ninja."

"Pain in the neck, huh? An appropriate choice of words" he said, rubbing his own aching neck.

"What do you mean?"

"Thanks to a _certain someone_, I skipped meditation this morning" he grunted, his headache growing worse as well as his neck pain "and my body didn't take it so well."

Yuki rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just go to meditate now, then? I can survive without being around you for a while" she said a bit too sharply, feeling extremely annoyed to him for some reason.

Monkey Fist gave her a nasty look. "I cannot just meditate at any time, you know. I must follow a rigorous schedule in order to keep both body and mind…_what in earth are you–_"

"I'm trying to make you stop complaining like an arthritic old lady" she said "now shut up and stay still."

"What do you think–" he began, but he stopped as she began to massage his neck. It wasn't that bad, he had to admit. He closed his eyes as his tense muscles slowly began to relax under her touch.

"Alrigh, now you must stay perfectly still."

Monkey Fist's eyes snapped open. "Wait, what are you–"

_CRACK!_

For a single, dreadful moment, he was sure she had broken his neck bone. What a fool he had been, letting an enemy put her hands on his neck. Ninjas were tricky; it was the first thing he had learned…

"Better?" her voice snapped him from his morbid thoughts.

"Uhu?" Monkey Fist blinked, realizing that she _hadn't_ snapped his neck after all "…what?"

She sighed. "I asked you if you're feeling any better" she repeated.

He moved his neck, and felt no pain. "Yes" he admitted grudgingly "much better."

Yuki frowned. "Are you sure you're okay? You're pale."

"You could have killed me" he said, sounding somewhat astonished "I was completely defenseless. You could have killed me less than a second."

She glanced down at him, extremely offended. "I'm not a murderer" she exclaimed, folding her arms "do you really think I would _ever_ do such a lowly thing?"

He shook his head, realizing he had said something really offensive.

"No, I don't. I'm..." he hesitated, then he cleared his throat "I'm…_sorry_…for what I said" he finally said, avoiding to look at her.

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I can't believe it…you're actually _apologizing_."

Monkey Fist snorted. "There's no need to rub it in, you know…" he muttered under his breath.

"You still haven't apologized for unleashing your monkey ninjas against me…" she teased with a smirk.

"You still haven't apologized for sneaking inside my castle" he retorted.

"I told you, it was not my choice. I was ordered to. Would you rather be stuck here with, I don't know…a certain guy called Stoppable-san?"

Monkey Fist just grimaced.

"…or maybe with your Number One fangirl…"

He shuddered at the thought. "You promised–" he began.

Yuki held up her hands. "Alright, sorry. Stop whining" she said with a grin, the she turned serious "anyway, don't you dare think of me as some sort of _killer_ again, Monty. I'd never hurt anyone – not without a fair, honorable fight."

"Yes, of course. Speaking of which" Monkey Fist said quickly, hoping to change topic "how about some training?"

Yuki though for a moment, then she nodded, curious to see how powerful he really was. "Why not?"ù

* * *

"_**Think, Monkey Fist…think about what I said and tell me: do you still wish to die?"**_

_There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Monkey Fist closed his eyes, still feeling the cold blade pressing lightly against his throat, ready to take away his life in any moment._

_It was so tempting, just asking Sensei to end his life and forget everything…a single struck would have been enough. Just a second of pain, and then…_

_He shuddered. Then…what? What if he actually met Yuki, somewhere in the afterlife? How could he stand to meet her gaze knowing he had killed her twice?_

_He couldn't. He just couldn't._

_After a few minutes – that seemed an eternity to him– he opened his eyes and gazed up at Sensei._

"_Yes" he whispered "I do wish to die. But…"_

"_But?" Sensei gently urged him, his grip on his hair loosening. He already knew what he was going to say._

"_I cannot" Monkey Fist shivered "I cannot…I…" he stopped, unable to say anything. Some many things he wanted to say, so much sorrow he needed to express…dear God, how could he put it all in words? Words were so weak. They would never be enough._

_Sensei removed the knife from his throat and swiftly cut the ropes that tied his wrists and ankles. He covered him with a woolen blanket and put a comforting hand on his forehead, hot and feverish. "Hush" he said gently as Monkey Fist tried to speak "it's alright. You don't need to say anything now – all in good time. There will be a time for understanding; now you just need to recover."_


	10. Tea and heartshaped cookies

"You know, you're not that bad" Monkey Fist said, barely dodging a high kick. He tried to trip her, but Yuki jumped backwards.

"Neither you are" she said, leaping forward, her fist aiming for his face.

"I'm most flattered" Monkey Fist sidestepped and grabbed her wrist, twisting her right arm behind her back. He grinned. "Too bad, our little training session ends here."

"Are you sure?"

"OW!"

Monkey Fist let out a yelp as her left elbow smashed against his ribs. He gasped for breath, his grip on Yuki's wrist loosening. She broke free from his grasp, turned to face him and delivered a kick to his stomach, throwing him across the room. He recovered quickly enough to regain his balance and landing on his feet.

"That _hurt_" he said accusingly as he took a fighting stance.

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, I was aiming for your face. I guess I'll have to try harder. Anyway, that's what you get for refraining yourself" she said "did you think I wouldn't notice? You aren't fighting at your best."

He shrugged. "I didn't think it was necessary".

Yuki's eyes narrowed, and Monkey Fist understood he must have said something really wrong. Human interaction _definitely_ wasn't his strong point.

"Uh…wait, I didn't mean…" he had no time to say more as Yuki charged.

"You didn't mean _what_?" she asked as she threw a series of quick punches and kicks.

"I didn't mean any offence" Monkey Fist said, swiftly blocking her blows "what I meant is that there is no need – ouch! – to use up all our energy for a training session."

"Why not?" Yuki dodged a few blows and threw a punch to his chest, which he blocked "it's not like we have much more to do. Besides" another blow, another dodge "it's funnier this way."

"You have a point" he said. He had to admit he was beginning to enjoy the challenge

Yuki sidestepped his kick and took a step backwards, then she leapt forward. He dodged just in time, her right foot barely missing his face. He grabbed her ankle and flung her across the room.

Yuki got a hand under her to cushion the impact and immediately stood up. She grinned at Monkey Fist. He really was as powerful as Yori told her.

"That's more like it" she said, and charged again.

* * *

"Ow!"

Yuki let out a groan as her back hit the ground. She tried to stand up, but before she could move Monkey Fist was on top of her, pinning her on the ground.

He sneered, his face just inches from hers. "I won."

Yuki scowled. "You cheated."

"I didn't–"

"Yes you did."

"There isn't any rule which forbids me–"

"…to use _four_ hands?"

"Precisely."

Yuki sighed. "You have a point. Alright, you won. Now, Monty…"

"What?"

"_Get off me!"_

"Oh…right" he said as he quickly got up. He hadn't realized how…_compromising_ their position was –his body on top of hers to keep her pinned to the ground. He cleared his throat, embarrassed, and kept his gaze on the wall as she got up as well.

Yuki brushed the dust off her clothes, still sulking a bit. "It's still not fair."

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "Alright, I promise I won't use my feet as hands next time" he said "deal?"

"Deal."

There was a brief silence.

"You know…" they began simultaneously, and they both stopped.

"Ladies first" Monkey Fist finally said. He looked a bit uneasy.

Yuki just shrugged. "Well…you're not that bad."

"Neither you are. We already said that."

"Right. Anyway…" she hesitated "I had fun" she admitted.

"So did I" Monkey Fist answered truthfully. It had been a long time since the last time he had trained anybody else than his monkey ninjas, and defeating her had been a true challenge.

There was another embarrassed silence, them both trying to find something to say. Yuki bit her lower lip. It wasn't like her, to be left speechless: she always had something to say, some sarcastic comment to make…but she couldn't think anything to say right now.

She didn't know why, but she felt terribly uneasy. She just hoped Monkey Fist wouldn't notice.

"What time is it?" Yuki finally said, glad that she had found something to say – no matter how stupid it sounded.

He was mostly relieved by the she had finally said something. He didn't like to admit it, but he felt very uneasy with her around right now. He just hoped Yuki wouldn't notice.

He glanced at the clock. "It's tea time."

"Huh?"

"It's almost five" he explained, since she didn't seem very familiar with British habits "I usually have afternoon tea at five. Do you want to join?"

"You don't need to ask twice."

* * *

Yuki blinked as she watched one of the monkey ninjas carrying a big tea tray inside the living room. The monkey placed the tray on the small table between the armchair and the couch and squealed something.

"Sugar, as usual" Monkey Fist said with a shrug.

The monkey put some sugar in its master's cup, then it looked at Yuki, waiting for an order.

"Do you prefer sugar or honey?" Monkey Fist asked.

"Uh…a bit of honey, thanks."

The monkey ninja put the honey in her cup of tea and squealed something else to its master.

"What is he saying?" Yuki asked, curious.

"He says they just baked some cookies – do you want some?"

Yuki's eyes widened in surprise. "They can bake?"

"Of course" Monkey Fist said proudly "I taught them everything they know. You didn't answer my question."

She nodded. "Yes, I'd love some" she said. The monkey ninja nodded and scurried into the kitchen. Yuki was quite impressed.

"How did you do that teach them so many things?"

Monkey Fist shrugged. "Monkeys are very intelligent" he just said, with an odd fondness in his voice. He took a sip of tea, and Yuki did the same. It tasted very different from the _mugicha_ she used to drink back in Japan, but it wasn't that bat. Not at all.

"It's good" she said, sounding surprised.

Monkey Fist grinned. "I told you so."

Before Yuki could reply, a monkey ninja got back in and placed a tray of cookies on the table before bowing shortly to its master and leaving the room.

There was a brief silence as they both stared at the cookies. Yuki raised an eyebrow and glanced at Monkey Fist, who looked absolutely stunned.

"So" she said deadpanned "you taught your monkeys to bake _heart-shaped_ cookies. How cute."

Monkey Fist blinked. This had to be the most embarrassing moment of his whole life.

_That's it. Some monkey head is going to fall for this._

"Well…I didn't exactly…they don't usually…" he cleared his throat "I mean…"

"Hey, it's okay as long as they're edible. Stop stuttering" Yuki said, grabbing a cookie.

"I wasn't _stuttering_, I was merely–"

"Yeah, right" Yuki took a bite of the cookie "hmm…they're good, you know. Your monkey ninjas can bake better..."

"…than they fight" Monkey Fist sighed "I guess you were trying to compliment them."

Yuki grinned and took another cookie. "You're a fast learner" she paused "_that_ was a compliment, you know" she pointed out.

"I'm most flattered" Monkey Fist said with a smirk, and grabbed a cookie.

* * *

_Monkey Fist partially awoke from his troubled sleep as he felt a hand behind his head. Before he could even open his eyes, he felt something being pressed against his lips._

"_Drink" a feminine and somehow familiar voice said gently "you must be thirsty"._

_Indeed, he was. He hadn't realized how horribly thirsty he was until fresh water hit his dry lips. He began to drink greedily, his eyes closed. He still wasn't sure if this was reality or just a dream._

"_Slowly" the same voice chided him "you'll sick it up if you drink too fast."_

"_More" he rasped as the mug was taken from his lips "more, please."_

"_Later. I have to changed your bandages before."_

_Monkey Fist finally opened his eyes. He blinked a couple of times, trying to focalize the figure looking down at him. It was the girl he had often seen with Stoppable, the one he had kidnapped when he had tried to steal the Lotus Blade._

_Yori smiled a little as he opened his eyes. "I see you're finally awake" she said " you must try to sit up now."_

"_Why…?" he whispered, his voice hoarse._

"_I told you, I have to change your bandages" she simply answered, misunderstanding his question "come on, I'll help you."_

_Yori grabbed his arms and slowly helped him into a sitting position. Monkey Fist winced in pain all the way, but as his back rested against the wall pure relief washed over his pained body. He took a deep breath and turned again to the girl, who was checking the bandages on his chest._

"_Your ribs are getting better" Yori said as she began to unwrap the old bandages "how does your right shoulder feel?"_

_Monkey Fist tried to move his shoulder, and he winced as burning pain shot through his body like fire. "It hurts" he whimpered "what…?"_

"_Your collarbone is broken – Hirotaka and the others didn't go easy on you" she brought her hand to his collarbone. The swelling had subsided, and the fracture was easy to feel through the skin "it's getting better anyway_. _The doctor said t__he nerves and blood vessels surrounding the clavicle are intact, so it doesn't require surgery. The bandages will be enough – the pain should subside within a few days now."_

"_Why are you helping me?" he asked weakly as Yori began changing his bandages, even trough he already knew the answer._

"_It's what Yuki-sempai ask…would have wanted me to do" Yori paused, looking at him "I'm glad you chose to live. It's what she would have wanted" she said quietly._

_Unable to stand Yori's gaze any longer, Monkey Fist merely nodded and turned his gaze to the wall, __refusing to acknowledge the bitter tears that rolled down his cheeks._


	11. Irregular move

Yuki awoke the next morning at a knock on the door. She glanced at the clock: it was already seven. She had overslept – she usually got up around six. She yawned and sat up.

"Come in."

The door opened, and a monkey ninja came in, carrying a tray with her breakfast. Yuki blinked. "Is there anything you _don't_ do?" she asked with a half smile as the monkey put the tray upon the nightstand. The little animal just bowed at her and silently left the room.

Yuki looked down at the tray. There was a cup of tea (again!), some cookies (_not_ heart-shaped, this time), porridge and fruit.

"Hey, not bad" she smirked as she grabbed a cookie "I may get used to it."

As she ate, she noticed that the nightstand's drawer was slightly open. Curious, she looked inside. There was a bunch of old black and white photos, most of them portraying people she had never seen. One of them, however, caught her attention.

It portrayed three people, two adults and a kid. She immediately recognized the adults as Monkey Fist's parents – it the same couple she had seen in his family portrait, with the only difference that the man was wearing some kind of explorer suit, much similar to the ones she had often seen watching old Indiana Jones movies. And the kid…

Yuki chucked, taking another sip of tea. The kid couldn't be older than four. He was leaning against his mother's leg to stand up properly, and he was wearing a hat, which was far too big for him – probably his father's hat.

"Didn't he look adorable" Yuki smirked, and turned the photo. There was something written on the other side: Yuki had to squint to read the small writing written in black ink.

_Trip to Africa, August 1971._

_Monty loved the trip. He kept babbling about monkeys the whole time. Matthew couldn't stop laughing._

Yuki laughed. She could totally see a Monkey Fist babbling about monkeys as a kid. She stood up and got ready quickly: she just couldn't wait to have some fun at Monty's expense.

* * *

Monkey Fist was sitting on his armchair in a lotus position, meditating. He seemed oblivious of her presence. Yuki grinned, silently approaching. She was just a few inches from him now. She took a deep breath. 

"MONTY!"

"_What_?!"

Yuki laughed as Monkey Fist jumped and fell on the floor.

"Such a scaredy cat" she grinned.

Monkey Fist groaned, giving her an annoyed glance. "How _childish_ can you get?" he grunted, rubbing the back of his head.

"Speaking of childish" Yuki smirked, waving the photo in front of his face "look what I've found. Sooo _cute_…"

Monkey Fist took the photo from her hands. "Where did you find it?" he asked quietly, without showing any sign of anger or annoyance. There was something in his voice that made Yuki's smirk disappear from her face. She shrugged.

"I just found it in a drawer. You know, in the room you gave me."

"I understand" he said flatly. He watched the picture for a whole minute. His eyes lingered for a few moments on the man who was smiling at the camera, unaware that he had little more than three years left to live.

_What would they think of me now? Would they understand…?_

He put the photo on the table and walked to the window. He stood there, his hands behind his back, watching the storm going on, saying nothing.

Yuki bit her lower lip. She hadn't expected this kind of reaction. She took the photo and walked behind him. "Monty…are you alright?"

"Why should you care?" he asked sharply.

"Hey, don't bite! Look, I'm sorry. I had no idea that photo would upset you that much."

Monkey Fist scowled. "It is something very personal" he said "it was none of your business."

"I'm sorry" she said, softly "I really am. I acted without thinking."

His shoulder relaxed as he took a deep breath, reminding himself he had to act as nice as possible. "Nevermind."

Yuki gave a long glance at the photo. "They seem nice."

"They were" Monkey Fist smiled a bit "even though my mother could be a pain in the neck sometimes. Not as much as you, of course."

"Of course. The record is mine."

He smirked. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Ha-ha. Very funny" she looked at the photo again "you don't have any other relative?"

"Nope. I'm the last of the line" he said "by the way…I forgot to tell you there is a telephone in the kitchen. It should work even with the storm. If you want to call anyone…"

"You have a _phone_?"

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "As a matter of fact, I do. The fact I live in a castle doesn't necessarily mean I'm stuck in the Middle Age, you know."

"I'd rather think you're stuck in the _Stone_ Age…alright, sorry" she quickly corrected herself as he gave her an annoyed glare "thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass. There's no phone in Yamanouchi."

"You can still call home."

"_Yamanouchi_ is my home."

Monkey Fist gave her a confused glare. "You have no other place to go?"

"No. I've always lived in Yamanouchi School. I was left there when I was a baby" she explained, seeing how confused he was "apparently, my parents could not afford to have a child, and they though that it would have been better than leaving me into some orphanage. They were right."

"So, your surname…"

"Sensei made it up. When I was brought to him it was the first day of the New Year, and there was a snowstorm going on – the first snowstorm of the year. So he decided to call me Yuki Tamashii."

"Spirit of Snow" Monkey Fist nodded "I understand."

Yuki chuckled. "Pretty melodramatic, huh?"

"So, this is why you were so upset when you found out I put aside the portraits of my family" he said slowly "it's because…"

"…because I have none" she finished for him, looking unusually serious. She put the photo back in his hand. Monkey Fist stared at the photo for a long moment before putting it in the pocket of his robe.

He cleared his throat. "Well…I'm sorry."

Yuki just shrugged. "Don't be, I'm not. I was lucky to end up in Yamanouchi rather than into some orphanage. Speaking of luck" she said, poking his chest "how about some training? I feel like winning today!"

Monkey Fist smirked. "I have to warn you, I'm not going to go easy on you."

She sneered. "Fine with me. But remember – no using your feet as hands."

"That's not a problem. I could defeat you one-handed."

"Yeah, right. Keep bragging and get ready to lose."

* * *

"Ha!" Yuki sneered as she tripped him, making him fall on the ground. She had finally gotten the upper hand. She stood up, ready to block him, but her smile of triumph quickly vanished as she felt something gripping her ankle. 

She looked down: Monkey Fist had grabbed her ankle with his right foot. He pulled, making her fall on the ground. Yuki tried to stand up, but Monkey Fist was on her before she could move. She tried to push him away, but he grabbed her wrists and tried to pin her arms.

"That's not fair!" she protested as she struggled to prevent him from pinning her arms on the ground "you promised!"

Monkey Fist just sneered, still trying to pin her. She was putting up a lot of resistance, he had to give her that – but she couldn't resist forever. "We are both ninjas, aren't we? We don't play fair."

She scowled. "_I _do."

"That's exactly the reason you're going to lose _again_" he pointed out with a grin, his face just a few inches from hers. Much to his surprise, Yuki smirked.

"You want me to play dirty?" her smirk broadened "as you wish then."

Before Monkey Fist could say anything, Yuki tilted up her head and pressed her lips against his.

He shuddered in shock, and his grip on her wrists loosened. She smiled inwardly.

_Perfect._

Yuki suddenly broke the kiss and caught his arms, flipping him onto his back and pinning him to the ground. "Ha!" she sneered, sitting on his stomach "gotcha!"

Monkey Fist looked up at her, utterly stunned. "What…why…?"

She shrugged. "Hey, you told me to play dirty" she pocked his chest, still sneering "and guess what? You lose."

"This was…most unconventional" he said, trying to regain proper breathing.

She playfully tapped the tip of his nose. "Ninjas are unpredictable. You should know."

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "Just let me up, will you?"

Yuki pretended to think, the she shook her head. "Nope."

"Yuki."

"No. Definitely not letting you up."

"_Yuki_."

She laughed and stood up, letting him up. Monkey Fist brushed the dust off his clothes, mustering up all the dignity he was left as she kept laughing.

"Hmph! There's no need to get so incredibly jolly about this" he said dryly.

She shrugged. "I just like to make fun of you. You're such an easy target."

"Grow up."

"Shan't."

* * *

"_You're getting better" Sensei smiled slightly. It had been a week since Monkey Fist had been brought in Yamanouchi. The fever had subsided, and he was slowly regaining his strength "does it pain you to breath?"_

"_Not much" Money Fist said quietly. He was sitting in the mattress, his back against the wall, still refusing to look at the old man._

"_How about your shoulder? Does it hurt?"_

"_Only if I move my arm."_

"_Well, you're definitely getting better then. You should be happy about it."_

"_Happy?" Monkey Fist finally turned to look at him. Gone were his strength, his pride, his confidence. He looked utterly broken and miserable "how can there be happiness left for me? __I've been a fool, an arrogant idiot, trying to possess a power that doesn't belong to me. Why did I do all this? I'm going to live and die alone; what's anything worth when in the end you die alone?"_

"_Alone, you say?" Sensei said quietly. He stayed silent for a long time. "D__o you think you can walk?" he finally asked, approaching to him._

_Monkey Fist blinked, surprised by the unexpected question. "Walk?"_

"_Yes, walk. And mind you, I'm not going to take a 'no' as an answer. There's something I have to show you" Sensei lifted his left arm and put it over his shoulders "come on, you can lean on me."_


	12. Old memories

_Authou'r notes._

_This chapter is basically a peek in Monty's past - my version of it, of course. I didn't mean to make it this long (his past was originally supposed to be only mentioned), but I began to write down a scene from his past and I just couldn't stop writing. Sorry for the useless chapter, but I liked the idea of taking a peek of Monty's childhood._

* * *

"Monty?" 

"What?" Monkey Fist raised his plate, slightly annoyed.

"I was wondering…_how_ did you teach them how to cook?" Yuki asked as she took another bite.

He shrugged. "It has been quite easy, actually – they learn most of things by repeating actions they see. They just set the kitchen on fire a couple of times before learning to cook properly."

She chuckled at the thought. "It must have been a sight."

He groaned. "Trust me, it was" he said grimly before turning his gaze back to his food.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, resting her chin on her hand. He had barely spoken the whole day.

Monkey Fist shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

"You're not eating" she pointed out.

"I'm just not hungry."

"Is that why you're looking at your food as if it did something to you?"

He let out an exasperated groan and viciously stabbed the food with his fork. "See? I'm eating. Happy now?"

She grinned. "Good boy."

They ate in silence for a while. Yuki watched him stuffing unwillingly stuffing the food in his mouth, much like a little boy forced to eat broccoli by his mother.

_And he says I'm childish…_

She raised an eyebrow. "You're not still thinking about that accident, are you?"

"I…uh…" he cleared his troath "of course not. Why should I? I know you meant nothing by it."

She sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're not angry about it. I had no idea that photo would upset you that much."

He blinked. "Photo…?"

"Yes, the photo I found this morning, remember?"

"Oh" Monkey Fist bit his lower lip, realizing she hadn't been talking about the kiss she had given him earlier "I…it was nothing. I just overreacted."

"But you seemed really upset…"

"It just stirred up some old memories" he absently gazed at the fire, as if he could see something she couldn't.

"Bad memories?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "No. Very good ones, indeed" he paused, still staring at the fire "I guess I should thank you. I almost forgot how happy we were before my father's death" he said, words leaving his mouth before he knew what he was saying. He abruptly stopped, wondering what in the world was wrong with him that evening. Why was he telling such personal things to _her_, a Yamanouchi ninja that had sneaked in his home to keep tabs on him? This was crazy.

"Oh" Yuki seemed speechless "I'm…sorry for your loss. What happened?"

"Pneumonia" he said with a shrug, as if he didn't really care "I was seven at the time."

"It must have been terrible, losing somebody you love" she said sympathetically.

The sympathy in her voice somehow annoyed him. He didn't need her sympathy or her pity. He was just fine the way he was, thank you so much.

He shrugged. "It hasn't been _that_ terrible. I was too young to understand" he lied.

Actually, it _had_ been terrible, especially for his mother. She was never the same after her husband died: she had always been a bright, life-loving woman. But after she lost her husband she became withdrawn, having her son as her only reason to live. It killed him to see her suffer every day after he died.

And it had been entirely his fault.

_How much time has it been since I last spoke with anyone about this? Ten, fifteen years? God, so much time…_

He got up and walked to the window. He just stood there, gazing at the storm. There was a long silence as Yuki watched him gazing at the rain spattering on the window, lost in his memories. He wasn't telling her everything about his father's death, she was sure of it. There was a reason why he apparently couldn't bear to look at any portrait or photo of his family. No matter how much he pretended to not care, she could tell it still hurt.

* * *

**November 1974**

The boy's blue eyes wandered through the dark gray sky. The priest's words reached him, carried by the cold wind.

"…gathered here to give our last goodbye to a great man…"

His empty words meant nothing to him. Nothing.

He wished he could cry: it would have almost been a relief. But he couldn't shed a tear, no matter much grief he felt. So much grief, and he couldn't find a way to express it all. His body stiffened as his mother pulled him in a close hug, sobbing.

It had been his fault. Nobody had blamed him, but he knew it had been his fault. He had been so excited when his father had promised him to bring him to the zoo the day of his seventh birthday. If only he hadn't insisted to go even though it was raining so hard, maybe his father wouldn't have fallen ill. He wouldn't have died, and now his mother wouldn't be crying like this.

He still couldn't believe he was gone. He still expected him to show up, to wake him up early in the morning, no matter how sleepy he was, to teach him sword fighting like he had promised him so many times.

So many things still he needed to learn, and his father was no longer there to teach him. He was no longer there to guide him. He was no longer there for his wife, to love her, to make her laugh.

He was gone, and it was all his fault.

His chain of thought abruptly stopped as he felt his mother's embrace loosening. She patted his shoulder gently, and the boy nodded. He knew what he had to do.

He stepped forward, looking down at the coffin lowered into the grave.

_Earth to earth. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust._

He crouched and took a handful of earth. He just stood there for a few moments, as if waiting for Lord Matthew Fiske to climb out of the grave and ruffle his hair, telling him that it had been just a bad dream, that he was still there for him.

Nothing happened.

Monty Fiske raised his hand and unclenched his fist, letting the earth fall on his father's coffin. This was supposed to be a sign of putting away the dead, to seal the certainty that in this life he would never return to and to begin to piece together the life that remained.

Monty wasn't sure he was ready for this.

"Bates?" the boy said as they walked away from the cemetery.

"Yes, young sir?"

"Why must people die?"

The man shrugged, unsure. "Nobody knows it, young sir. It just happens."

They stayed silent for a while. "Rain" the boy finally whispered.

"I beg your pardon?"

"A little rain was enough to kill him. He fell ill and died because of some _rain_, Bates. Just…rain" he sounded astonished, as if he couldn't believe it.

Bates sighed. "Life is a frail thing, young sir."

Monty Fiske shook his head, and for a moment he looked older than his seven years. "Life's not frail. Life is stronger than any other force" he stopped in his tracks and turned to the cemetery "it's humans who are weak."

* * *

"Monty?" Yuki finally called out, approaching to him. 

Monkey Fist blinked and turned from the window. Lost in his memories, he had completely forgotten her presence. "What?"

For a moment she was about to ask him to tell her the truth about his father's death, but she decided against it. She had no right to ask him such personal questions. "Are you alright?" she finally asked.

"Yes. I'm just tired" he lied, avoiding her gaze "I think I'll go to sleep early."

"Me too" Yuki stood up and hesitated for a moment, biting her lower lip "so…see you tomorrow."

He nodded as she left the room. "Yes" he said quietly "tomorrow."

* * *

_Walking caused him much pain – especially since his left ankle was dislocated – but with Sensei's help he could get around reasonably. Monkey Fist shut his eyes as sunlight hit his face, blinding him. After seven days inside a small, dark room, his eyes were unaccustomed to light._

_He stumbled forward and almost fell, but Sensei caught him in time. "Hold on. We're almost there."_

_Monkey Fist opened his eyes and blinked, trying to get his eyes used to the blinding sunlight. They were in Yamanouchi's yard._

"_Why have your brought me here?" Monkey Fist asked as they approached the center of the yard. Oddly, there were no students in sight._

"_Wait and see" Sensei said quietly, helping him to sit on the ground. Monkey Fist sat down, wondering what Sensei wanted him to see. They silently waited for few minutes._

"_Here they are" the old man finally said, looking up at the roof._

_Monkey Fist followed his gaze, and was stunned to see that his monkey ninjas approaching, squealing as they recognized him. They ignored Sensei and quickly scurried next to him, chattering excitedly, asking a lot of questions about his health. _

"_I thought…I thought they left when the cave temple collapsed…" Monkey Fist whispered in awe as a couple of them began to check his wounds, emitting squeals of concern. _

_Sensei shook his head. "They never left. They have been wandering around the school for seven days now, waiting for their master – waiting for you. Some of my students tried to chase them away, but they just won't leave without you."_

_Monkey Fist was speechless. After his previous army of monkey ninjas had abandoned him to his fate about two years before – after a little 'accident' involving Stoppable, an ancient prophecy and a spacecraft – he had stopped believing in his minions' unconditional loyalty. He had been sure his monkey ninjas had escaped as soon as the cave temple had began to collapse, leaving him to his fate. He would have never thought they could have stayed, waiting for him, genuinely concerned about his health._

"_They'd die for you without a moment's hesitation if you ask them to" Sensei put a hand on his left shoulder "so stop the self-pitying talk. There isn't only grief left for you in this world."_

_Monkey Fist slowly nodded, a __breakdown threatening at the corners of his mouth and around his eyes. He shut his eyes, __his voice shacking slightly as he spoke._

"_Sensei…"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Thank you."_


	13. Odd behaviour

As days went by, the monkey ninjas couldn't help but notice that something had changed between their master and the intruder.

The first few days had been like hell. They kept arguing about every matter under the sun and, even though their master didn't let the intruder notice, this argues always left him in a foul mood – which he would most likely vent out by yelling at them every time they made a mistake, or even when they just did nothing. They had quickly learned to stay out of his way while he had one of his moods.

But, they noticed, something had gradually changed through the last week, though they couldn't quite understand _what_.

He seemed to have gotten used to the intruder's sarcastic remarks. The earlier days her evident disrespect towards him would have made him furious, but soon his rage had turned to simple annoyance. Now he didn't seem to mind anymore: he just answered either with a chuckle or an equally sarcastic remark as always, but he wouldn't let it ruin his mood.

This kind of puzzled them. It actually seemed that he liked having her around after all – but he had claimed he didn't. Was he lying to them? Still, why should he lie to them? It didn't make any sense.

Another thing that baffled them was the fact that he had stopped training, which was most unusual: their master had never skipped a training session. _Ever_.

Maybe it had been because of the stranger. On the past few days, the monkey ninjas noticed he seemed somehow uncomfortable and distant with her around, always careful to never get too close to her. A casual observed probably wouldn't even have noticed, but they were not 'casual observers'. They were trained ninjas, after all – and they knew their master well.

But why he was doing anything to avoid any contact with her even though he seemed to enjoy her company was beyond them.

Humans could be really weird sometimes.

* * *

Yuki frankly couldn't understand what the hell was wrong with him. During the past week he had been acting really weird: he refused to train, claiming he 'was not in the mood', and he seemed always so distant even when he was next to her.

Of course, it wasn't like she cared – why should she have cared? – but the fact he didn't want to train was a problem. It wasn't like there was much to do besides teasing him and training. Speaking of which…

She frowned as he ducked under her kick. She had somehow convinced him to train a bit, but he was merely dodging her blows, barely trying to fight back, and Yuki couldn't understand why he was holding back like that. She tried to trip him, but he jumped backwards just in time.

_What's the matter with him? He's been acting weird since…_

Her eyes widened as the realization hit her.

_May it be…_

She shook her head. Of course not, what a stupid thought. Still_…_

There was only a way to be sure. Yuki threw a punch straight to his face: it was a very lousy move, for it would have been very easy for him blocking her hand and twisting her arm behind her back, easily ending the fight. A skilled and experienced fighter like him wouldn't just watch such an opportunity pass by…

…but he did. Instead of grabbing her arm, he just sidestepped the blow.

Yuki took a step back, gazing at him in amazement. She was right then – he was trying to avoid any kind of physical contact between them.

For some reason, the thought annoyed her.

"What in the world do you think you're doing?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

He shrugged. "Training. Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Aw, _please_. We're not training here; it's more like playing hide and seek. Why don't you fight back?"

"I told you I was not in the mood."

"C'mon!" Yuki insisted "why not?"

"Because I don't feel like it" Monkey Fist growled, annoyed by her insistence.

She chuckled. "You're just afraid to lose again."

"I'm _not_" he snapped "I just don't feel like training."

"It's almost a week that you don't feel like training. What happened to your 'rigorous schedule'?"

He rolled his eyes. "Why must you _always_ get the last word?"

"Because I'm the guest here. And the guest is always right" she retorted.

"In case you haven't noticed, this is _not_ a hotel and you are _not_ a _guest_. You're merely an intruder – an annoying one, moreover."

"Just details" she said dismissively "why you don't want to fight back? And don't tell me it's because you don't feel like training."

Monkey Fist sighed. "Fine, allow me to reformulate the sentence: I don't feel like training _with you_. Did I make myself clear enough?"

Yuki grinned at him. "It's like I said, then – you're afraid to lose again!"

He merely shrugged at her remark. "Last time you won just because you took me by surprise."

"So what? Taking the enemy by surprise is a ninja's prerogative."

"You know what I mean. Your move was…" he paused, unsure "highly irregular."

Yuki smirked inwardly as she remembered how confused he had been as she has pressed her lips against his. It had been an effective move, and it hadn't even been as unpleasant as she had though. Not at all. And, she had to admit, he looked kind of cute when embarrassed.

"There isn't any rule which forbids me to…you know…" she suddenly seemed uncomfortable "anyway, you're the one who cheated first. I just did the same."

"It was _not_ the same thing" he retorted "I didn't _kiss_ you to distract you."

Yuki blushed slightly and chuckled a bit. So, this was the cause of his weird behavior…just a peck on the lips. How childish could men be? It had been a mere trick to win the fight. End of the story. It wasn't like she meant anything by it. Not at all.

"Just be glad you didn't. I might have killed you in the spot if you did."

"Ow" Monkey Fist swallowed nervously.

"Anyway, I can't see why you're making such a fuss about it. It's not like I meant anything by it."

He shrugged, folding his arms over his chest and turning his gaze away from hers. "Of course not. I never thought a such thing."

"Of course you didn't."

There was a long, awkward silence.

"I mean, it would be laughable."

"Absolutely."

Another silence.

"So…" Yuki cleared her throat "what if I promise to fight fairly, without…irregular moves?"

He sighed. "You don't give up that easily, do you?"

She grinned. "I guess I'm even more stubborn than you are."

"Nice try, but the answer is still no."

Yuki frowned. "What in hell are you afraid of?"

He snorted. "I'm afraid of nothing."

"Oh, really?" she said "then would you care to explain why you're doing anything to _avoid_ me? You aren't even looking at me right now!"

"I'm not _avoiding_ you, I'm merely…well…" he hesitated "I have my mind set on other matters."

"What kind of matters?"

He folded his arms over his chest. "I don't think I have to tell you anything. You came here without being invited in first place. You should just be glad that I'm treating you as a guest rather than throwing you out in the rain, instead of complaining because I'm _avoiding_ you."

Yuki grimaced. "Don't misunderstand me – it's not like I _care_ about it. It's just–" she trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue as she struggled to find the right words to say…what? Her ewes grew wide as she realized she had no idea of what she could say. She looked down at the floor. _Why _the fact he was trying to avoid her annoyed her so much?

No, she suddenly realized, it didn't just annoy her – it _hurt_. It hurt because she _cared_.

_This is ridiculous! I cannot care of an enemy…I can't allow myself to care of him!_

She stood still for a few minutes, gazing at the floor, locked by some inner struggle that Monkey Fist could not fathom. He never turned his gaze from her as his cold expression melted into a concerned one as he waited for an answer he both feared and…desired? God, what was happening to him?

"Yuki…?" he called out quietly as he took a few steps towards her. She recoiled at the sound of his voice – lost in her thoughts, she had forgotten his presence. She glanced up at him as he stood in front of her.

"Nevermind" she said with a shrug, deliberately ignoring the way her heart had jumped as he had spoken "I just missed our training sessions, that's all. I had fun training with you."

"So did I" he admitted, then he cleared his throat, glancing at the clock "speaking of which, we still have some time left before dinner" he grinned "can I have this dance…I mean, fight?"

Yuki laughed at the joke, suddenly feeling incredibly relieved. On impulse, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He staggered back, baffled – but not completely displeased – by her sudden show of emotion.

"Uh…" he swallowed and tapped her shoulder "there's one condition though…" he said.

She drew back from him with a sigh. "I guess I should have seen this coming. Spit it out."

"How about a neck rub? Like the one you gave me the last week."

"When you thought I was trying to kill you?" she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.

He seemed a little embarrassed. "Uhu…yes, like that one. Deal?"

She chuckled. "Deal. But mind you" she said, pocking his chest "no holding back this time."

Monkey Fist smirked. "As you wish."

* * *

_Standing near the window, Yori smiled slightly as she watched Monkey Fist walking in Yamanouchi's yard with Sensei's help. He was recovering a lot quicker than they thought._

"_He regained his will to live after all" she said, relief dripping from her voice "for I while I actually thought he wasn't going to make it."_

"_He's stronger than you think. A few broken bones are not enough to kill him."_

_Yori shook her head. "It wasn't only his wounds. He had high fever, and he refused to eat, and…I don't know how to explain. You have no idea of how devastated he was."_

"_Sensei knows what he does – he wouldn't have let him die." _

_There was a long silence. Yori looked out of the window again: Monkey Fist was sitting on the ground, surrounded by his monkey ninjas. Even from up there, Yori could see the look of utter surprise on his face._

"_His minions are very loyal to him."_

"_They owe him their lives. He's like a god to them."_

_Yori nodded. "He still has nightmares, you know" she said quietly._

"_Hirotaka told me."_

_Another silence._

"_Tell me…" Yori said, uneasily "after all he's done, do you still…you know…?"_

"_Yes, I do. But I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive him."_


	14. A terrible mistake

_Author's notes._

_Pew, it's the longest chapter I've ever written - 2,008 words, just liket he new year. Cool XD_

_I originally wasn't going to upload this chapter before the New Year for I haven't got much spare time and I won't be able to reply to reviews for a few days (Chirstmas with my family is a real pain. Aw, relatives...can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em). I eventually decided to upload it anyway: consider this as a some kind to Christmas gift. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed/faved this story: I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year._

_Man, I'm so unoriginal XD_

* * *

Monkey Fist raised his gaze from the book as he felt crumbles falling upon his head. He glanced up at Yuki, who was hovering behind him, chewing a cookie.

"A penny for your thoughts" she said, her mouth full.

"Would you _please_ stop hovering while I'm working?"

"You're not 'working'. You're just reading."

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. She had been staying into the castle for almost two weeks now, and even thought he had come to appreciate…well, to _tolerate_ her presence, her attitude still annoyed him sometimes. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to find a very ancient and valuable artifact. _This_ is my work."

"An ancient and valuable artifact that will give you the power you crave for" she pointed out "have you forgotten the reason I'm here?"

Monkey Fist sighed and closed the book "I should have seen that coming" he said, gesturing her to sit on the couch "let's just talk about it, shall we?" he said, gesturing her to sit on the couch.

Yuki sat on the couch and folded her arms. "I'm listening."

_Here we go. You have to be convincing, Monty._

"I'll be honest to you, Yuki. As a matter of fact, there _is _a legend about the power of the Obsidian Monkey. It has been broken into several pieces more than six-hundred years ago, and every piece was hidden into a different temple around the world in order to prevent this item from falling in the wrong hands…"

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "No offence intended, but I frankly cannot think of worse hands than yours."

Monkey Fist seemed offended. "May I ask why?"

"Do you want the short list or the long one?"

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Because you tried to steal the Lotus Blade from Yamanouchi. Because you kidnapped Yori. Because you tried to kill Stoppable. Basically, because you're so power-obsessed that you don't care about hurting people to get what you want" she paused "this is the short one. Do I have to continue?"

"No, thanks. I got it" he cleared his throat "I'm not going to deny I made mistakes. But I paid for them."

"This doesn't make you trustworthy."

Monkey Fist grimaced. He knew she didn't trust him – he had always known that – but hearing her telling him he wasn't trustworthy somehow hurt him.

"Fine" he said "let's pretend you're right, that I merely want power for myself – which I don't. To obtain _this_ power, I wouldn't need to hurt anyone. Why should Yamanouchi try to stop me?"

"Because you could do horrible things with such a power."

"Horrible things, you say?" Monkey Fist shrugged "horrible things happen every day without my aid. This world is slowly deteriorating: pollution, global warming, war, corruption…I've seen things happening in the Amazon rainforest that you cannot imagine – whole tribes forced to leave their ancestor's homeland due to man's greed, native children die because of polluted water. My monkey ninjas – they had lost their home as well, and they were about to be dissected. If I hadn't saved them–"

Yuki looked at him almost in awe. "You _saved_ them?" she asked, bewildered. It wasn't something you would expect from a villain, still…it made sense. It explained why his monkey ninjas seemed so loyal to him. She thought back about the monkey who had wrapped a blanked around him while he was having a troubled sleep, the first night she had been there.

He nodded. "Yes, I saved them from death by taking them under my care, but there are many other creatures that die every day in the world because of _man_, both humans and animals" he paused and looked straight into Yuki's black eyes "there are _genocides_ going on in Africa as we speak, and the 'civilized' world doesn't seem to notice. Man is slowly destroying earth. It's not about _me_ you should worry about."

Yuki had never thought about it. "You have a point" she said slowly "still, we cannot let so much power fall in the hands of a…" she paused, as if suddenly unwilling to call him 'villain'.

Monkey Fist noticed her hesitation, and knew what she had been about to say. He suddenly felt anger rushing through his veins. Had he really though she could understand his reasons? What a fool he had been!

"I do think there is no point on discussing about this any further" he said dryly as he got up "you're not going to change your mind about me anyway."

Yuki was surprised to see how upset he seemed. "Hey, calm down. You cannot blame me for not trusting you after all you did!"

He growled. "I made mistakes. I paid for them. Do you have the slightest idea of how it feels like, completely losing your freedom? Isn't this enough to make you happy? What else do you want from me?"

"_Happy?" _Yuki gave him a furious look "do you actually think I could ever be _happy _about anyone's suffering? Just what _kind_ of person do you think I am?"

"The kind of person who judges me without even listening my side of things!"

"I _am_ listening to you!" she snapped. Did he actually think she could be that low, enjoying the fact he had suffered imprisonment? She felt a sharp pain in her chest at the though, but she refused to acknowledge it.

He took a step backwards, startled by her outburst. He hadn't expected the conversation to end up like this: he had lost control of his emotions, letting them control him. What was the matter with him? It wasn't like him, letting anyone's judgment bother him: he usually couldn't care less of what people thought of him, for he was sure to be in the right. So why should this girl be any different? Why did it _hurt_ knowing that she thought of him as nothing more than a villain?

_What have you done to me, Yuki?_

He shook his head. He had to stop this nonsense and put the conversation back on track if he wanted to gain her trust – he couldn't let himself forget that she was merely a pawn in his plan. Wasn't she?

"My deepest apologies" he said, trying to sound calm "I'm afraid I overreacted…"

"Damn right" Yuki growled, angrier than Monkey Fist had ever seen her.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked as she turned to leave the room. Suddenly, he didn't want her to leave.

"Anywhere but here" she hissed.

He glanced at the room: he had spent so many lonely hours in there. The though of being alone again suddenly filled him with unspeakable dread. "I haven't finished to speak" he said, frowning, a hint of fear in his voice. Yuki, however, was too angry to notice the slight change in his voice.

"Speak with your monkey ninjas then" she snapped "they are such a great company. Besides, I think I heard you say you don't like having me around…w_hat…?"_

Monkey Fist had slammed the door closed, preventing her from leaving the room. He looked actually furious. "You're not leaving this room until I say you to do so!" he growled, his face just a few inches from hers "no one can disrespect me like this!"

Yuki took a step back, bewildered. For a moment, she felt something different than rage rushing through her veins. It was fear.

_He's mad. Raving mad._

She clenched her teeth in anger, ignoring her fear, and took a fighting stance. "Step aside and let me out, Monty. Now."

He shook his head. "No" his eyes were burning with rage and some other emotion that Yuki could not define. She narrowed her eyes.

"Let me out. Last warning."

"I can't."

"So be it" she said before raising her right hand to strike him.

He was fast, faster than he had ever been. He dodged her blow and grabbed her wrist in an iron grasp, exactly as she expected. She raised her other hand to hit him…

"Please."

Yuki's hand froze in mid-air as he spoke, her heart stopping for a moment as her eyes met his blue ones. He was looking at her with such _longing_, like a starving man in the desert looking at an oasis. She slowly lowered her hand.

"What…?"

"Please, stay" he said quietly, still holding her wrist "stay."

She looked numbly at him, startled by his sudden change of behavior. She glanced at his hand, which was still holding her wrist. "Let me go" she said, her voice shaking. She had to go away before doing something she could regret.

"Promise me you won't leave" he said, his grip around her wrist loosening slightly.

"I won't" she said without looking up at him "just let me go."

He hesitated for a moment, then he let go her wrist. Yuki gasped as his hand cupped her cheek, his palm rough and warm against her skin as he gently turned her to face him. She looked up at him, speechless. Their faces were only inches apart, his lips so close to hers that she could almost feel their warmth.

_This is insane, Yuki – _the rational part of her brain was screaming_ – completely insane. Stop him! Do something!_

It was right, she knew it – what they were doing was just insane, and she should have fought him instead of surrender. She knew she was supposed to fight him, to push him away, but she didn't. Probably she was going to regret this later. But for now, as his lips joined hers in a deep kiss, she just think that insanity could be not that bad after all.

It just felt so _right_ beingwith him; there was no Yamanouchi School, no monkey stuff: just the two of them, exactly where they belonged.

His other hand slid trough her black hair, down her back…Yuki's heart skipped a beat as he put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. His lips were warm, firm, and strong on hers, and as they finally broke apart she was breathless and weak in the knees.

Yuki wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest, trying to breath normal again. She felt his grip around her tighten as he leaned his forehead lightly against the top of her head, nestled into her hair. Monkey Fist closed his eyes, breathing in her scent. There was a long silence as they stood in each other's embrace for a while.

"What have you done to me?" he finally whispered against her hair.

"I may ask you the same thing" she said softly, listening to his heartbeat. He was so strong and warm, she felt like she could have stayed in his embrace forever.

The silence was suddenly broken as the door slammed open behind them and a loud chattering filled the air, making them instinctively break apart and turn to the door. The monkey ninjas immediately stopped whimpering as they looked at them, realizing they had just had the worst timing _ever_. The small animals quickly left the room, emitting some apologetic sounds.

Monkey Fist sighed inwardly, thinking of all the 'we told you so' stuff he was going to hear from them later. He cleared his throat and turned to Yuki, who was biting her lower lip, her gaze was lowered to the ground. There were a few minutes of silence, them both trying to think straight.

"Yuki…about what happened…" he finally spoke, uneasy.

She shook her head. "We don't have to speak about this" she said, trying to make her voice stop shaking "it was a mistake, and it must never happen again."

He felt a twinge of pain in his chest, but he just nodded. She was right: it had been a mistake, the result of a mere impulse. He couldn't let himself forget that she was just a tool in his plan. "No" he said slowly "never again."

Yuki nodded. "Fine" she said, ignoring the fact her hands were shaking.

Monkey Fist just stared at her as she turned and quickly left the room, saying nothing.


	15. Change of perspective

_Authir's notes_

_Yay, I managed to update again before the New Year! I wasn't going to, but since I ran out of sleeping pills I had to do something at night. I guess even insomnia can be useful XD_

_So, here you go: another basically pointless chapter. Sorry, I'm a sucker for character introspection - I wanted to explore a bit more the character's thoughts, for it will help to explain their behaviour in next chapters. Enjoy, and happy New Year! _

* * *

Yuki stormed inside her room and slammed the door closed behind her. She leaned against the door and took a deep breath, her heart racing in her chest, desperately trying to think straight. 

What had just happened? _Why_ did she let it happen? It had been a mistake – a horrible mistake. Sensei had sent her there for a reason: was supposed to keep tabs on an enemy and report anything wrong he did. Falling in love with said enemy wasn't part of the picture.

Still, things had changed since she had come there. Her _perspective_ had changed.

Before coming there, she saw the world in black and white – good guys and bad guys. She though of Monkey Fist as a cruel, heartless jerk even though she didn't even know him – only because most of people referred to him as a villain. Well, Yori's description of him hadn't helped anyway.

Yuki sighed and sat on her bed.

_He was right – _she though_ – I've been judging him without even listening his side of things._

As she had gotten to know him better, she had begun to see the shades of gray. She had come to understand that there was more to him that meets the eye – and now she wished she could get back to her old 'black-and-white' perspective: it would have made it all much easier.

She had to forget him – there was no way she could allow herself to love an enemy.

Still…

What if he had actually changed his ways like he claimed? What if he had actually quit being a villain? If he had been telling the truth, he would no longer be her enemy – and maybe there would have been a chance…

_No_.

Yuki shook her head. She couldn't let her feelings influence her judgment, no matter how much she wanted to believe him. But what if he was actually telling her the truth? How was she supposed to decide if believing him or not?

She sighed, holding her head in her hands.

_What am I going to do now?_

* * *

Sensei smiled as Yori approached hesitantly. "You seem worried, Yori" he said serenely "is there something bothering you?" 

"Yes, Sensei" Yori nodded "it's about Yuki-sempai. It's already been two weeks since you sent her to spy Monkey Fist, and we haven't heard of her since. Maybe we could send somebody to check…"

The old man shook his head. "No. We cannot risk to interfere with her actions – I'm sure there is a good reason why she hasn't contacted us."

"But is she was caught…" the girl shivered, not daring to think about what Monkey Fist could have done to her. Heartless as he was, he might have hurt her badly, maybe even killed her…

"Yori" Sensei chided her gently "you have to trust her. She knows what she does."

Yori lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry, Sensei, I didn't mean to disrespect –"

"You did nothing to be ashamed of – there's no need to apologize. If it you're so worried about her sake, I'll try to contact her if she doesn't show up within a few days. Deal?"

Truth to be told, he was a little worried too. It was typical of Yuki, just disappearing for a while without warning – the students weren't sure if consider her free-spirited or just irresponsible. But she had never just 'disappeared' while she was on a mission

Yori nodded, relieved. "Thank you, Sensei."

"Nevermind. Now go back to your training – you still have a long way to go."

* * *

The next few days passed awkwardly as they avoided each other as much as they could, with Yuki spending most of the day in her room. The still spoke to each other if they had to, but their conversations seemed forced and unnatural – an extremely generous soul could call their relationship strained at best. 

Monkey Fist kept telling himself it was better this way.

He was not a fool, and he knew there was no use in denying the truth: he had grown to care for Yuki much more than he thought – to make it all worse, there was the fact she cared for him as well…or, at least, he though she did.

The psychologists who had tried to 'cure' him back in jail – not that he _needed_ to be 'cured', of course – always said that admitting a problem is the first step to overcome it. Too bad, this theory didn't seem to work with him: he had no idea of what he should do.

As much as he wished her to stay with him, he knew he couldn't have both her and the Mystical Monkey Power. Since he knew she would never turn to his side, he had to choose between her and the power he craved for …and there was absolutely _no way _he would give up on power.

Lifetime obsessions do not wear off that easily.

Therefore, he had drawn the conclusion that the only thing he could do was simply forgetting what had happened. It was just a matter of eleven or twelve days before the storm subsided. She was going to leave, and everything would be back to normal. This though made him feel horribly empty.

But, he though, life doesn't give anything for free. His career, his reputation, his family fortune…he had already sacrificed too many things to stop now, even though he knew she was going to fight him and hate him for the rest of her life if he didn't.

Things have _costs_, and if he had to give up on her in order to obtain the Mystical Monkey Power he was ready to do so – no matter how bad it made him feel. Time heals all wounds, doesn't it?

Truth to be told he was feeling bad right now, sipping tea alone in the living room. He was no longer used to so much silence, for it was hard to get some quiet time with her around: she was warm and vibrant and playful where he was cold and calm and patient, and it was no wonder that her presence bothered him so much the early days.

Now he missed her presence, her sarcastic remarks, her jokes, her laughter – no matter how utterly annoying she could be. Had anybody told him he would have missed her back then, he would have thought it was some kind of joke.

He shook his head angrily. He had to stop thinking about her – it only made him feel worse.

Much to his annoyance, however, his monkey ninjas were not going to drop the matter – one of them in particular.

"For the last time, Chippy, _no_!" Monkey Fist growled for tenth time that afternoon "I am perfectly fine, thank you very much. I'm not depressed and I most definitely _do not_ need a hug!"

_Not from you– _he added mentally as he took another sip of tea. He though back of how warm her body felt against his and shivered, suddenly feeling terribly cold now that he was alone once again.

* * *

Yuki frowned, glancing out of the window. How many days had already passed since she had come there? How many days was she going to spend like this, secluded in her room, waiting for the storm to end and desperately trying to stop thinking about _him_? 

"I think I'll go insane" she muttered to no one in particular. She had always hated being secluded, but what else she could do? It hurt her terribly just to see him a couple of times a day for meals – she could not bear to stay with him more than it was strictly necessary.

She glanced at the clock: it was almost dinnertime. She groaned inwardly, not quite sure if she could bring herself to face him now.

"You look quite upset, Yuki."

She shuddered and quickly turned from the window as she heard the familiar voice. Sensei's ghost-like figure serenely smiled at her, floating a few feet from the ground.

Yuki took a deep breath and relaxed. "You should warn when you do the mystical-ghost thing, you know" she said, almost accusingly "you will give somebody a heart-attack someday."

Sensei's smile broadened a little as he though back about Stoppable-san's reaction when he had appeared to him under that form. "My apologies" he said with a slight chuckle "I guess you're right."

Yuki shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sensei, I didn't mean to snap like this. You just…took me by surprise."

"I see" Sensei nodded slightly "I'm glad to see you're fine, Yuki – Yori was terribly worried. We didn't have any news from you in quite a while."

"I'm sorry I made you worry, it wasn't my intention. I'm kind of stuck here."

"Stuck?"

Yuki sighed. "Well, it's a long story…"

* * *

Chippy tilted his head, watching his master. He had never, _ever_ seen him so depressed – why was he pretending he was fine? How were they supposed to cheer him up if he wouldn't admit something was wrong?

It was the intruder's fault, he decided. He wasn't so sad when she was around – why did he keep telling he was fine when it was most obvious that he _wasn't_?

Chippy scratched his head. Maybe, if he could make the intruder understand how sad his master was without her everything would be back to normal – and his master wouldn't be so sad anymore. And if it didn't work, he already had a plan B.

The little monkey gave another glance to his master and quickly left the room.

* * *

"So, you haven't found any evidence that he's up to something evil" Sensei said quietly as Yuki finished to explain everything that had happened…well, maybe not _everything _– there were a few things that were better be left unsaid. 

She shook her head. "No. I know he told me he's after some kind of monkey artifact – the Obsidian Monkey or something close. He also told me this artifact holds some kind of ancient power –"

"Wait" Sensei cut her off "he _told_ you?"

"Yes. He has been quite…cooperative. He claims he's changed his ways, that he's only doing his job and so on."

"Do you believe him?" Sensei just asked, watching her intently.

Yuki bit her lower lip – this was one question she was afraid to answer to, for she wasn't sure how much her feelings for him could influence her judgment. "I don't know" she said slowly "the item he's looking for seems terribly dangerous, but maybe…just _maybe_…his intentions may be honest. I mean, he allowed me to stay instead of get rid of me, and he has been honest about the idol's nature…" she shrugged "I really don't know what I should think about him" she said truthfully.

"Hum" Sensei seemed thoughtful "you got to know him quite well lately, didn't you?"

Yuki swallowed, hoping Sensei wouldn't notice that she was blushing. "Well…I guess I did."

"Then I think you're the only one who can decide if he's being honest" Sensei said solemnly "just remember: dishonorable intentions often hide behind honorable acts."

Yuki nodded. "I know" she said quietly as Sensei vanished in a cloud of smoke. She sat on the hedge of the bed, her face in her hands.

"I'm so screwed."


	16. Chippy the matchmaker

_Author's notes_

_Wow, the first update of the year! Cool XD __So, here's the 16th chapter - yep, more character introspection. Sorry _

_Now, I have a little question to ask (it is a bit of a give-away of the next chapter, so if you don't wanna know stop reading the author's notes NOW)._

_So...ahem...let's just say that in the next chapter "something" is going to happen between Monty and Yuki (c'mon, it's not hard to fugure out what I mean XD). Anyway, I was originally going to just "imply" what happens and then skip to the "next morning" - but now I wonder if I should put some descriptions. It wouldn't be graphic or too explicit (this is a T-rated ff after all), but I'm still not sure if I should. You tell me, guys._

_Hey, don't look at me that way. Blame **LilyHellsing**'s fanfictions_ _and_ _**Lil-Lyon**'_s _fanart_ _for giving me dirty thoughts, folks. I was an innocent little girl before I knew them (no, I wasn't. And in case you were wondering: yes, I'm drunk. I'm afraid I had one too many drinks yesterday night XD)_

_Alright, enough nonsense for now: just enjoy and have a good year _

* * *

A sudden knock on the door snapped Yuki from her thoughts. 

"Come in," she called. The door opened, and one monkey ninja got him.

"Oh, it's you," she paused, seeing how uneasy the monkey seemed "what are you doing here?"

The monkey ninja squealed something she couldn't understand. "Uh…I'm sorry, I can't understand what you're saying."

Chippy rolled his eyes: he had forgotten that the dumb human female couldn't understand their language. He scratched his head, trying to figure out how he could make her understand. Finally, after much thinking, he looked up at her with the saddest expression he could muster.

Yuki blinked. "Uhu…are you alright?" she asked. That monkey was acting really weird.

Chippy just tried to make his expression sadder.

Yuki bit her lower lip, understanding that the monkey ninja was trying to tell her something. "Are you sad?" she finally asked.

The monkey just pointed out of the room.

Yuki frowned. "Sorry, I don't understand…"

Chippy snorted. Honestly, what did the master see in her?

He mustered a sad expression again, still pointing out of the room.

"Okay…hum…is somebody else sad?" Yuki tried again. The monkey ninja nodded and squealed, and she knew she got the point.

"So, someone is sad…" she said slowly. She was afraid to know were the monkey ninja was trying to get. She sighed. "It's your master, isn't it?"

Chippy quickly nodded, glad to see that she had finally understood. He squealed and grabbed her arm, trying to drag here out of the room.

"Hey, hold on!" Yuki shook her arm free from the monkey's grasp and took a step back, folding her arms "look, I'm sorry for your master, really. But I'm afraid I can't help him."

The monkey squealed something which sounded much like 'aw, c'mon!'

Yuki shook her head. "I'm sorry. I really am," she said softly before closing the door on the monkey's disappointed face "but there's nothing I can do."

Chippy tilted his head, startled by the sadness in her voice. So the intruder was sad too – why did they keep avoiding each other if it made them feel so bad?

Humans were _so_ complicated – he was once again happy to be a monkey.

He shrugged: fine, it was time for plan B. And if even plan B didn't work, his master was most definitely going to have his head.

* * *

Yuki drew a deep breath as she leaned against the window, watching the storm. She kept telling herself she had done the right thing by sending that monkey ninja away, but she wasn't too sure about it. Damn, she wasn't sure of _anything_. 

The thought Monkey Fist could be suffering as much as she did made her heart ache with pain. She felt both guilty and somehow…pleased? No, this wasn't the right choice of words. She could never be pleased by anyone's suffering – still, the thought he cared for her so much that he suffered from her absence warmed her heart just as much as it hurt.

_How can you still think of him as an enemy? _– a voice whispered in her mind_ – how can you still think he would do anything to hurt you? He loves you as much as you love him, and you know it. You saw it in his eyes when he kissed you, didn't you?_

Yuki shook her head.

_This is not about how much he loves me. This is about what he could do for power. I know he wouldn't hurt me – but what about the others? He's still a villain…_

_Stop this nonsense, Yuki. People can change._

_Yes, they can. But I'm not sure if he did._

_He did change. You know he did._

_No, I just _hope_ he changed. I don't know it for sure._

_That's right, you cannot know it for sure – but you _think_ he did._

_I have to follow my duty. This is not about what I think._

_Yes, it is. Sensei trusts you judgment._

_He doesn't know how I feel for Monty._

_Aw, c'mon…do you actually think he's that stupid? I'm sure he realized within two seconds, especially with you blushing like a girl at her first prom. Still, he trusts your judgment._

_But he also warned me - dishonorable intentions often hide behind honorable acts._

_We're back to the start, Yuki – you cannot be sure of anything, besides one thing: he loves you; this is the only thing above any doubt. So, what are you going to do? Are you just going to give up on him because of your doubts? Don't you think he deserves some trust from you?_

Yuki sighed. "I don't know" she said aloud, still watching out of the window "I really don't know."

* * *

Monkey Fist frowned, trying to translate a difficult passage of the book. Ancient Japanese wasn't precisely the easiest language in the world – and, much to his regret, he hadn't practiced in a while. 

He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, feeling a massive headache building in his head. He glanced at the clock: it was just nine, but he felt so tired that he could have sworn it was past midnight.

Monkey Fist gave a weary sigh and turned his attention back to the book, ignoring his headache. He needed to focus on something – it seemed the only was to stop himself from thinking about Yuki. He squinted to read the ancient writing, his hand reaching for the last banana on the table…

"_What…?!"_

He gave a yelp of surprise as he felt somebody snatching the banana from his hand. He turned to see one of his monkey ninjas on the other side of the room, staring at him with the last banana in its small hands.

Monkey Fist grimaced. "Chippy, what in the world do you think you're doing? Give it back this very instant!"

The monkey just shook its head and took a few steps towards the door, still looking at its master. Monkey Fist got up from his armchair, narrowing his eyes.

"Chippy, this is an order. Bring it back here and–" he trailed off as the Chippy scampered out of the room, still holding the banana in its small hands. He growled in anger – no one of his monkey ninjas had ever disrespected him like this.

"How _dare_ you…" he hissed, chasing the monkey, driven by his wounded pride rather than the banana itself – he was not going to tolerate such acts by any of his minions!

Chippy quickly scurried up another flight of stairs. He had to be fast if he didn't want his master to catch him – thankfully, he was too enraged to notice _where_ he was leading him.

As he finally reached the end of the stairs, Chippy stopped in front of a certain wooden door and put the banana on the floor.

His master was very close now, he could hear him coming.

Perfect.

The monkey quickly knocked the door and ran away, hiding behind a corner. The first part of the plan had gone smoothly – now he could just hope the second part would work out as well. If it didn't, he would have been a dead monkey ninja before the next morning.

* * *

Yuki rolled her eyes as she heard another knock at the door – those monkey ninjas were pretty stubborn, she had to admit. 

"What do you want?" she snapped, expecting for the door to open and for some monkey ninja to come in.

Nothing happened. What was the matter with them?

She sighed. "Why can't they just leave me alone?" she muttered to no one in particular as she went to open the door.

* * *

"Chippy, come back here!" Monkey Fist growled as he reached the end of the stairs "come back here, I insist! For the last time–" he trailed off as he saw the banana Chippy had stolen on the ground. 

_That idiotic monkey…what in the world is wrong with him?_ – he though as he instinctively stopped in front of the door and picked up the banana – _just wait I put my hands on him…_

His chain of thoughts abruptly stopped as the door in front of him opened. He looked up to see Yuki standing in the doorway, looking at him questioningly – and he realized a few seconds too late the trap Chippy had leaded him in.

_Uh-oh…_

* * *

"_Excuse me…would you _please_ slow down? Walking with a dislocated ankle isn't precisely a walk in the park."_

_Sensei couldn't help but smile slightly, glancing at Monkey Fist over his shoulder. "I see your sarcasm is back," he said as he stopped._

"_I'm afraid old habits die hard," Monkey Fist said as limped towards him with all the dignity he could muster._

_The old man smiled inwardly. It seemed that his pride was still there too – a good sign. He was terribly wounded, but not broken, and his spirit was strong. His wounds would eventually heal, even though they would leave scars. And he wasn't only referring to physical wounds._

"_That's true – but allow me to remind you that you asked me to let you out of your room. I also offered you my help to walk, and you refused it."_

"_I don't need any help. I just – ow!"_

"_Patience," Sensei chided him as he yelped in pain for trying to walk faster "I thought you to be more patient than this – especially since you still have such a long journey to go."_

_Monkey Fist glanced at him, bewildered. "Journey?" he asked, "you're joking, aren't you?"_

"_Why should I?"_

_The monkey man looked at him as if he was crazy "Look at me, Sensei! I can barely walk; I can barely move my arm; my ribs hurt like hell at the slightest effort. How do you expect me to–"_

_He trailed off as Sensei began to chuckle. "My, I thought you knew better," he finally said as he approached to him "the kind of journey I'm talking about doesn't require you body. Actually, your journey has already begun. Here," he placed a hand on Monkey Fist's chest, directly above his heart._

_The monkey man just looked down at Sensei's hand. "When…?" he whispered._

"_When we brought you here, you were devastated. Once again, you had a choice to make – live to face the consequences of your mistakes or just die and let it all go. Your journey has begun the very instant you chose life over death."_

_Monkey Fist slowly nodded. "What am I supposed to do now?"_

"_Do nothing but just listen to your heart and keep walking down the path you have chosen. Where this road will lead you is up to you – it's _your_ journey, no one else's. You have been doing well until now. Just be patient, no matter how much time it will require – you are allowed to stay here as long as you need."_

**Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–**

**I took the one less traveled by,**

**And that has made all the difference. **

**Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken"**


	17. Simple and Clean

_Author's notes:_

_In case you were wondering: yes, I eventually decided to put some description of the the sex scene - though it's mostly implied since I wanted to keep this fic T-rated. If it disturbs you, just don't read below the line towards the end of the chapter - you're not going to miss any kind of relevant information anyway._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Yuki blinked as she saw Monkey Fist standing in front of her. Her first reaction was one of embarrassment, for she was only wearing a nightgown. What did he want? He had never showed up in her room since the first day she had been there. She blushed a little, folding her arms as if for shielding herself from his gaze.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, a bit more sharply than she meant to. They hadn't been that close in days, since when they kissed, and this closeness made her feel terribly nervous.

"I…uh…" Monkey Fist turned his gaze away from her with some effort – it was kind of hard to not stare since she was only wearing a silken nightgown – and looked at the banana in his hand as if he hoped to find there a plausible answer. "The banana," he finally said.

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "The banana," she repeated, hoping he wouldn't notice how much she was blushing – why in the world was she thinking about those lame 'banana' jokes she had heard back in London? Why _now_, for heaven's sake?

"Yes. I mean…no. It was Chippy, actually. He stole it."

"Chippy stole your banana" Yuki repeated with the same flat tone, but she couldn't help but smile inwardly. Monkey Fist did actually look kind of…cute whenever he was embarrassed. It didn't happen a lot.

"Yes. You know, one of the monkey ninjas…"

_And soon to be a __**dead**__ monkey ninja _– he mentally added.

Yuki shrugged. "Okay…so, one of your monkey ninjas stole a banana. I'm truly sorry for your loss; I hope you'll get over it. Now, is there a reason why you're here? Besides telling me that a monkey ninja stole your snack, I mean."

"Uhu…" Monkey Fist glanced back at the banana, the gears in his head running at full speed. He had to come up with something convincing – she was never going to believe him if he just told her what happened. Besides, there was no way he would tell anyone he had let one of his minions fool him – he still had his pride, after all. He finally cleared his throat. "Well, you didn't come out for dinner – I merely wanted to check if you were alright," he said, trying to sound convincing.

"Oh," Yuki blinked. She had to admit, it was...nice from him. The though he had been worrying for her made her blush a bit more.

_How can you still think of him as an enemy?_

_Shut up._

"Well…I'm perfectly fine, thank you. I just wasn't hungry," she said. Now it was her turn to feel embarrassed. "Uh…what does the banana have to do with it anyway?"

Monkey Fist thought quickly. "I brought it just in case you were hungry, but since you're not…well…"

There was an awkward silence as them both just stared at the ground, not knowing what to do. It had been by far the longest conversation they had after the little…accident a few days before. Yuki glanced up at him. He seemed so uneasy, she mused. Like as schoolboy at his first date. Could he possibly be the same person Yori had told her about?

Monkey Fist hesitated, his blue eyes lingering on her. He cleared his throat. "Well…goodnight then," he quickly said as he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Yuki suddenly exclaimed, stepping forward. She couldn't bear to just stand there watching him leave. Monkey Fist felt his heart jump in his chest as she called out for him. He turned to face her and looked at her questioningly.

"I…" Yuki thought quickly, trying to find a good excuse for her sudden outburst. What a fool she had been, letting her emotions take over her senses!

"Well, I guess I _am_ a bit hungry," she lied, avoiding to look at him.

_Don't you think he deserves some trust from you, Yuki?_

She bit her lower lip, not knowing how to answer to the questions her own mind kept asking. Unaware of her inner struggle, he grinned and handed her the banana.

"Reconsidering my offer?"

"Sort of," she grinned back as she took the fruit "so…what are you doing without me around?"

He merely shrugged. "Not much" he said casually "studying, meditating, and training with my monkey ninjas."

"Back to old habits, uhu?"

"I guess so. And…how about you?" he asked, though realizing it was a stupid question.

Yuki shrugged. "I must admit, staring out of a window is a nice pastime" she said, a bit sarcastically.

Monkey Fist shifted slightly, uneasily. "Yuki, I…" he paused "I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

She couldn't help but smile slightly. "You know, this is the third time you apologize about something."

"Do you really _have_ to rub it in?"

"Yes," she said solemnly "bothering you has become my ultimate goal in the life."

He smirked weakly, thinking of how much he had missed her jokes. The rational part of his brain was telling him to wish her good night and go away before he could do anything he could regret. It was a good suggestion – still, he couldn't bring himself to leave. They hadn't been so close in days, and God knew how much he had missed her presence.

He shook his head slightly, as if to remind himself that she was nothing more than a pawn in his plan to obtain the power that rightfully belonged to him. He couldn't let her be his weakness.

_Still…_

A sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Yuki wasn't necessarily going to be his weakness after all: he had planned to earn her trust since they first day they had met, after all – the fact she had actually fallen in love with him could work to his advantage.

He bit his lower lip. Of course, she was going to despise him for using her feelings like this – but she was going hate him anyway as soon as she found out he had been lying to her for the whole time. Either way, he there would have never been a chance for them to be together if he didn't give up on the Mystical Monkey Power – and there was absolutely _no way_ he would do that.

He almost cringed at the thought, a dull pain in his chest – if he was feeling this bad just after a few days without her, how could he face a whole lifetime alone? Just a few weeks ago, he wouldn't have minded – he had always known that his path would have been a lonely one. But now that Yuki had entered in his life…

All of a sudden, he felt something else beside the pain – it was rage. Rage against her, for what she had done to him – and against himself for falling in love with her, with somebody he should have never have fallen in love with.

Yuki frowned as she saw the change in his expression. What was the matter with him? She was just joking after all – it wasn't like bothering him had actually become her ultimate goal.

"Monty?" she called out, and she shuddered as he looked back at her. His eyes were bloodshot, burning with pain, rage and another emotion whose name they were both afraid to say aloud.

_You cannot be sure of anything, besides one thing: he loves you; this is the only thing above any doubt. So, what are you going to do?_

_I may regret this._

_Regretting doing something is better than regretting not doing it._

Slowly, as if in a dream, she stepped forward and reached to stroke his cheek. Monkey Fist drew in a sharp breath as her hand brushed gently against his skin.

He lifted his hand to cover hers, as if to reassure himself that it was real, and looked down at her. "Yuki, listen–" he began, but he was silenced by Yuki's lips on his. His eyes widened in surprise just for a moment before her put his arms around her waist and drew her closer, kissing her back hungrily. She parted her lips to let him taste her mouth, and she whimpered into his mouth as he tightened his grip around her waist. Yuki felt like her whole body was filled with soothing warmth and she was going to melt, her knees feeling so weak that she though she would have fallen on the ground if it weren't for his arms wrapped around her.

He whispered against her lips as he slowly ended the kiss. "You're shaking."

"So you are," she said softly, leaning her head on his chest "it's kind of cold out here." The contrast between the cold air of the castle and his warm body made her shiver even more.

"That's true" Monkey Fist reluctantly loosened his embrace, remembering that she was only wearing a nightgown "do you want to go back in your room?"

"Yes, please."

Monkey Fist unwillingly released her and cleared his throat, avoiding to look at her as she stepped back in her room. Yuki stood in the doorway for a few moments, looking at him, amused to see how he had misunderstood her.

"Monty?" she finally called.

"What?" he asked, still avoiding to look at her – and thus failing to see she was smirking.

"Are you coming or not?"

He nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, see you tomo–" it took Monkey Fist a few moments to realize what she had just said. _"…what?"_

She shrugged and began to close the door. "Oh, right – I forgot how _busy_ you currently are. Well, I don't want to bother you any further, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow…"

"No, I…wait!"

Her smirk just widened as he put his hand on the door so she couldn't close it. She looked up at him. "Do you need something?" she asked innocently.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"Oh, really?" Yuki took a step back to allow him inside, the smirk still on her face "and may I ask what do you need?"

"You," was all Monkey Fist said as he swiftly closed the door behind him.

* * *

His mouth came down hungrily on hers, their tongues seeking out the heat of each other as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing closer to him. A moan escaped from her lips, a sound of surrender and need. She felt him smile against her lips, sending shivers down her spine as he gently leaned her on the bed. He eventually broke the kiss, allowing her to catch her breath, and let his heated lips wander down her neck, gently brushing against her smooth skin.

Yuki's body stiffened slightly as she felt his hand slipping under her nightgown, caressing the bare skin of her thigh, and Monty immediately stopped as he felt her freeze.

He looked down at her, slightly concerned. "Yuki, are you sure you want this?"

She grinned, reaching to run a hand through his messy hair. "Always a gentleman, aren't you?"

He grinned back. "Of course."

She tilted up her head to kiss him. "I've never been more sure of anything in my whole life."

Yuki let out a small gasp as his hands slid under the nightgown, dragging it up over her head and letting it fall on the ground. She blushed slightly as he looked at her. She had never though of herself as attractive, for she had never cared much about how she looked – still, he was looking at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She could get used to this.

Yuki smiled slightly as she played with his belt. There were still too many clothes between them. "So, Mr. Gentleman" she mocked him "would you care to explain me why I am the only one without clothes on?"

Monkey Fist smiled back. "I must admit it is highly unfair," he said as he proceeded to remove his own clothes. Yuki's eyes opened wide at the sight – his body was toned and fit, mostly because of a life of battle and training. She noticed a few scars across his slightly hairy chest and stomach, but before she could ask anything he sealed her lips with another deep kiss, his chest pressing against hers as he claimed her as his own.

It was something completely different from anything they had ever experienced: every sigh, every stroke, every kiss, every whisper in the dark seemed to fortify the bound between them, making them wish for that night to last forever. No words were spoken for a long while, for they didn't need to be: Yamanouchi School, Mystical Monkey Power – nothing of this seemed to exist anymore for now. There were just the two of them now, two soulmates finally joining as one after a long journey, finding solace in each other's arms.

**When you walk away  
You don't hear me say please  
Oh baby, don't go  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
It's hard to let it go**

**Hold me  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
Is a little later on  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
Nothing's like before**

**Utada Hikaru - Simple and Clean**


	18. Awakenings

_Author's notes_

_Alright, here I am again. Sorry it took me longer than usual to update, but I'm really busy with university right now (exams…beach). Besides, thanks to my little brother I've been obsessed with Batman TAS lately (Batman villains are taking over my brain…dammit!) so now I have spent some time writing another fanfiction – which is a one-shot right now, but maybe I'm going to make some other chapters…dunno. Let's see where my twisted little brain leads me._

_So I won't be able to update as fast as before – but don't worry, I'll keep updating anyway. There NO WAY I'm going to leave this fanfiction incomplete, it's the longest one I've ever written and I finally KNOW exactly how it's going to end! (Yes, I started writing without being completely sure of how it would end - guess this is a proof of how weird I am. Eheh.)_

_About this chapter, it's nothing really special – I was just up for some light-hearted fluff, so here you go. There's a bit of angst at the end, anyway. Can't live without angst XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"_Ouch!"_

Yuki snickered as Monkey Fist yelped and bolted upright in the bed, his hair even messier than usual.

He blinked a couple of times and looked down at her, frowning. "What was _that_ for?"

She tried her best to look innocent. "What?"

"You kicked me," he said accusingly, folding his arms.

She shrugged as she sat up as well. "Hey, you were snoring like a chainsaw. I had to make you stop somehow."

"I don't snore," he said, pretending to be offended.

"Yes, you do."

"Just a bit," he retorted.

"A bit too much," Yuki chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her on his lap, her head leaning on his chest as he rested his chin on her head. She sighed softly, leaning on him, enjoying the warmth of his body as he held her close to him.

"Monty?"

"Hmm?"

"Does it mean I have to call you 'Cuddlebuddy' now?" Yuki asked innocently, a small smirk on her lips..

He seemed shocked at the thought. "You wouldn't!"

"Wanna bet?"

"I'd rather not," he chuckled, then he gave her a worried look "er…you _are_ joking, aren't you?"

Her smirk widened. "Maybe" she said, snuggling closet to him. She just stayed silent for a few moments, listening to his heartbeat.

"You know, I think this beats every record," she finally said.

"Excuse me?"

"I've broken something like two-hundred rules of Yamanouchi School in one night," Yuki said, trying to ignore the slight pang of guilt – she knew she had done something very dishonourable according to Yamanouchi's honour code, still she couldn't bring herself to regret what she had done. She shook her head slightly, refusing to think about it right now. "I highly doubt anyone has ever managed to do a such thing before."

Monkey Fist couldn't help but grin. "You're clearly not any student."

"Of course I'm not. Especially since I'm not a student anymore."

"You're not?"

She looked up at him, pretending to be offended. "Of course not, I graduated a few years ago. Now I just help in teaching to younger students with a few others who choose to stay" she frowned "do I look _that_ young?"

He smirked and kissed her neck. "Please, I'm a gentleman. I'd never dare to speculate about a lady's age."

"Is this some kind of lame quote you Brits use to not compromise yourselves with old rich ladies?"

She felt him smile against her skin. "Precisely," he said a bit mockingly.

"British humor," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Did I hit a nerve?"

Yuki lightly slapped his hand as he reached to stroke her hair. "This _isn't_ funny."

"I think it is."

"Alright gentleman – why don't you just tell me how old do you think I am?"

He shook his head. "And risking your wrath for failing? No, thanks."

"Uh-oh, looks like the mighty is scared," she teased him.

"I'm not _scared_, it's merely a matter of self-conservation."

"Yeah, right."

Before Monkey Fist could reply there was a knock at the door. He glanced at the clock. "I guess it's breakfast time" he said, wrapping the sheets around them "come in."

The door opened, and a monkey ninja popped its head in almost timidly. It looked like the monkey who had told her that Monty was down in the dumps the day before, but Yuki couldn't be sure – they looked all the same to her.

"_Come in_, Chippy", Monkey Fist ordered sternly.

So, though Yuki, this was the infamous Chippy. She was surprised by how stern Monkey Fist sounded – how could he still be so angry about a banana, for heaven's sake?

The monkey ninja got in hesitantly, carrying a tray with the breakfast, which it put on the nightstand. The small animal quickly bowed to them and tried to get out of the room as fast as he could.

Fat chance.

"Not so fast, Chippy," Monkey Fist said coldly, though Yuki could have sworn there was a hint of amusement in his voice "I'm still waiting for a good explanation of your unjustifiable behaviour."

The little monkey looked uneasily at its master and whimpered something Yuki couldn't understand. She looked up to see Monkey Fist raising an eyebrow.

"I _know_ you wanted to please me, but this doesn't mean…" he trailed off as Chippy whimpered something else.

Monkey Fist sighed, his grip around Yuki tightening slightly. "Alrigh, it doesn't matter now. Just… don't you dare do anything like this again."

The monkey nodded, clearly relieved that it had escaped his wrath, and asked something.

"Well…" Monkey Fist looked down at Yuki "you know, I don't feel like getting up right now," he said smugly.

She snuggled closer to him. "Neither do I."

His smug grin widened. "Very well" he said, turning to Chippy again "no, I'm not going to join the training session today. Tell the others to work on the defence and…" he paused as Chippy gave him a pleading look, then he sighed, "alright, you can have the day off. Now go away."

Chippy bowed happily at then and scurried to the door, then he stopped in the doorway and looked to his master again.

He squealed something that sounded much like a question, and Yuki felt Monkey Fist's grip tense a bit. She looked up to see he was turning deep red.

"No, it's _not_," he said sharply, utterly embarrassed "now _get lost_."

As the monkey quickly scurried out of the room, Yuki looked at him questioningly. "What did he ask?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know. Of all embarrassing questions…" he mumbled, avoiding to look at her.

She folded her arms. "Now you've piqued my curiosity. What did he ask?"

"Well…" Monkey Fist pretended to think, then he just sneered, "no, I don't think I'm going to tell you."

"Monty."

"No."

"_Monty_."

"Nope. I'm most definitely not going to tell y – _ow_!"

He let out a gasp as she pounced on him and pinned him to the bed, sitting on his stomach. "Tell me what he asked," she repeated with a grin.

He looked up at her, still sneering. "Or else?"

Her grin widened. "This!"

Monkey Fist squirmed and gave a high-pitched laughter as Yuki began tickling him. "Alright, I'll tell you! I give up, stop this! Stop, I said!"

"That's more I like it," she laughed, stopping tickling him "my, looks like someone's ticklish..."

He gasped for breath. "This is highly unfair, taking advantage of my weakness." He sounded almost like a child whining 'it's not fair!'.

She leaned down to kiss him. "Taking advantage of the enemy's weakness is a ninja's prerogative. Now stop trying to change subject and answer to me. What did he ask?"

He smirked. "He asked if it was mating season already."

"_What?"_

The embarrassed look on her face made him chuckle. "I told you you didn't want to now."

* * *

"_No, it' s not true. It cant' be…she couldn't be…"_

"_She could be, and she was" Sensei looked at him sympathetically "you needed to know everything. I'm sorry."_

_Money Fist swallowed weakly, his throat terribly dry. "Tell me it is a lie," he almost begged, "tell me it's not true."_

"_I'm not here to lie in order to make you feel better," Sensei said somewhat sternly "Yuki was five weeks expecting."_

"_Why…?" Monkey Fist breathed, an excruciating pain burning in his chest "why didn't you tell me this before?"_

"_Because you were too desperate to bear any more pain. If you had known this a couple of weeks ago, you would have chosen death without thinking twice."_

_Monkey Fist gave a wounded animal's cry, covering his face with his hands – but he couldn't shed a tear, no matter how devastated he was. His pain was beyond tears. _

"_Why did you tell me?" he finally asked, his voice shaking "why couldn't you just tell me nothing and leave me to my ignorance?"_

"_As everyone says, ignorance is bliss" Sensei just said "and you just don't deserve bliss."_

_Monkey Fist closed his eyes. "Did you keep me alive only to torment me, Sensei?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper "do you enjoy witnessing my sorrow?"_

"_Don't blame me for your misery, Monkey Fist – you did this all by yourself. I don't enjoy your suffering any more than you do. You had everything a man could ever ask for, and now you've lost everything because of you own greed. You must face all your responsibilities, no matter how painful it is. You'll never get over your loss if you don't."_


	19. Living Hell

_Author's notes:_

Yay, I updated! Seriously, how I managed to write down this chapter while studying for four exams is beyond me O.o

I have no idea of when I'll be able to update again – university is trying to _kill_ me, and I'm afraid it's going to succeed – so I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. I put some light-hearted fluff in it too, because there won't be much from now on. Yeah, back to angst. Lots of it.

Enjoy!

* * *

_In his darkest hours, his spirit wandering in the unknown region between Life and Death, Montgomery Fiske would have thought back to those moments as the happiest in his life. Among the nightmares that would plague his nights, those memories were an oasis to escape that living hell his life had become – and it had probably been the only reason he hadn't died while his body screamed in agony and his heart bled, yearning for oblivion._

_But oblivion just wouldn't come._

* * *

Yuki frowned as she took the cup of tea from the tray. Something didn't seem quite right. 

"Monty?"

"What?" he asked, taking sitting on the edge of the bed to take his cup.

"How comes there's tea for two?"

Monkey Fist shrugged as he took a sip of tea. "Because there's two of us in this room, I guess."

"How could your monkey ninjas know you spent the night _here_?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He froze.

_Uh-oh._

"Well…I guess…"

Yuki folded her arms. "What?" she asked in a dangerously calm voice.

Monkey Fist glanced around, trying to find a way to change topic. "Uhu…it's a lovely day, isn't it?" he tried, gesturing to the window and pretending to be oblivious of the storm outside.

Yuki narrowed her eyes. _"Monty."_

Monkey Fist cleared his throat. It was typical of Brits, talking about the weather to change topic – too bad, the trick didn't seem to work on her. "Well…it's a funny story…"

"Good, I like 'funny stories'. Now make me laugh."

"It's a long one, actually…"

"I have plenty of time."

"…and an utterly embarrassing one."

Yuki grinned. "A good reason to make you spill the beans," she said, playfully tapping the tip of his nose.

He hesitated. "You must promise you won't laugh."

Yuki couldn't help but smirk. "I promise I'll try."

"Which means you _will_ laugh."

"Probably."

He sighed. "Very well…you see, when I came here, yesterday–"

"This is better not be about that banana…"

He grinned sheepishly.

_That's it, Monty. There goes what's left of your dignity._

"Uhu…I'm afraid it is. Sorry."

* * *

"I _knew_ it was going to end up this way," Monkey Fist sighed as Yuki kept laughing her head off. 

"That…that is…" Yuki gasped as she tried without much success to stop laughing. Well, that explained _why_ he had showed up in front of her door with a banana. The memory of how embarrassed he had seemed made her laugh harder. She was going to have to compliment that Chippy for the trick.

"Please, don't mind me. You can stop laughing any time this century," he said sarcastically.

Finally her laugher subsided into chuckles and eventually stopped.

Monkey Fist gave her an annoyed glance. "I can't see what's so amusing about this."

"Hey, you said it was a funny story, didn't you?"

"I should watch my tongue then," he grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Aw, c'mon. There's no need to sulk."

"It has been one of the most _embarrassing_ moments in my life," he pointed out, turning away from her. She rolled her eyes – man could be so touchy sometimes.

"Hey, it was embarrassing for me too, you know. I mean, I was only wearing a nightgown to begin with – and you just showed up in my room babbling about a banana," she said, hugging him from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder "but I think it was worth it, you know," she said softly in his ear.

Monkey Fist couldn't help but smirk. "Indeed, it was," he admitted.

There was a brief, peaceful silence.

"How did you get these?"

"Uhu?"

"The scars," Yuki said, her finger gently tracing a thin, long scar on his chest. He shivered at her gentle touch on that old wound. "How did you get them?"

He shrugged. "At the beginning of my training," he said "I had to survive for several weeks alone in the Amazon Rainforest in order to prove myself worthy to learn the ancient art of Tai Shing Pek Kwar. Jaguars didn't seem to like me – or maybe they _liked_ me _too_ much, if you get what I mean…"

She frowned. "It must have been painful," she said, her fingers still tracing the scar.

"Not as much as it may seem."

The silence that followed was much different from the previous one, tense and uneasy – as if those scars had suddenly reminded them both they were not supposed to be together right now.

Yuki shut her eyes and hid her face hid her face in the crook of his neck, as if physically refusing to face reality – her hand still resting upon his scarred flesh. Monkey Fist gently took her hand in his and just laced their fingers together, saying nothing.

* * *

"_I knew I would have found you here."_

_Monkey Fist didn't even turn to look at him. "I'm getting quite predictable, I suppose."_

"_You shouldn't have left your room without warning – technically speaking, you're still a prisoner."_

"_I had to come here."_

_Sensei's eyes softened as he looked at the white tombstone. "Yes, you had to. How do you feel?"_

_Monkey Fist shrugged. "Empty."_

_It was the best way to describe how horrible he felt: a soulless shell with no future or purposes, merely existing instead of living – much like his mother after his father's death, he mused. But at least his mother still had her son to live for, and she wasn't plagued by guilt every moment._

_He had nothing left – and he could only blame himself. _

"_My life wasn't worth theirs," Monkey Fist finally spoke, his voice shallow and emotionless._

"_Yuki thought different."_

_Monkey Fist shook his head. "She was wrong – she never saw what kind of…monster I truly am."_

_Sensei frowned slightly. "You're being too hard on yourself now."_

"_No, I'm not! I truly am a…you have no idea of what I told her before she…I just wanted her to _hate_ me!" he blurted out, as if he wished to lift that weight from his shoulders "I wanted her to hate me, because…I hoped that if I could make her hate me she would just stop crying _– _God, she was _crying_, and the last thing I ever told her was that I had just been _using_ her the whole time! I just _sneered_ and told her…I…" he paused, covering his face with his hands "I should have died in her place – in _their_ place. It was what I deserved, it would have been fairer…"_

_Sensei shrugged. "Life and death are beyond 'fair' and 'unfair' – and so is love."_

"_Spare me your senseless babbling," Monkey Fist snapped "what does it matter? My life wasn't worth any sacrifice, especially not hers. Whatever you say isn't going to change the truth."_

_The old man smiled slightly at his rough retort – he was still himself, after all._

"_The truth, you say?" Sensei muttered, chuckling slightly for some reason "do you really think you know the truth? Such arrogance – you don't even know your own reasons, after all."_

_Monkey Fist turned to the old man. "What?"_

"_Just tell me one thing – if __you could make all your choices again, would you make the same ones?"_

_"No, I wouldn't. If I could, I'd change it all._ _I hate everything I've done to get where I am – but why should it matter? I can't change what I've done. Life is a choice, there's no second guessing."_

"_This is not about what you've done – it is about _why_ you did it. __You had happiness within your reach. Why did you give it up?"_

"_You know the answer. Power," Monkey Fist whispered the last word as if he was afraid to say it aloud._

"_This is only part of the answer."_

"_Excuse me?"_

_Sensei simply gestured for him to sit on the ground._

"_Things are never that simple," Sensei said thoughtfully "we both know it was your thirst of power to lead you to your downfall. What I'm wondering is: what was it that caused this obsession in the first place?" he glanced at Monkey Fist "do you know the answer to this question?"_

_The monkey man just stared at him, speechless. "I…it was…I never thought…" he paused, unable to go on. He was beginning to see where Sensei was wanted to get._

"_That's right, Monkey Fist: you never actually _thought_ about it. All you acknowledged was your desire of power and the things you wished to accomplish with it – but you never stopped to think about the root of this obsession. You can see __way off into the distance, but you're blind to the things before your own eyes" the old man paused and shook his head "a dreadful shame, indeed. You ended up wasting your life without even knowing why."_

_The monkey man gave a weary sigh. "What does the reason matter now?" It won't change anything."_

"_I think it would. Maybe you may even find the strength to forgive yourself."_

_Monkey Fist gave a dry, joyless laugh, ignoring the pain at his ribs as he did. " This is never going to happen."_

"_You may at least try. You don't have much more to do with yourself, do you?"_

_He winced at Sensei's remark. "I…"_

"_Self-loathing is nothing but mere self-satisfaction," Sensei said sternly "just hating yourself, what you have become – it's much less painful than actually trying to understand yourself, isn't it? It's much easier than trying to look inside your soul – because you're afraid of what you may find, aren't you?"_

_There was a long silence, the wind howling around them as Sensei patiently waited for his answer._

"_I am," Monkey Fist finally whispered, staring at the snow-covered ground._

_Sensei stepped closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You cannot just escape from your ghosts – and self-loathing isn't the answer. You must try to understand yourself if you want to be really free from your ghosts and become a better person" Sensei paused "you will have to be very strong and very brave."_

"_I'm not sure I can do this."_

"_You can and you will. Yuki didn't give up on you, Monkey Fist – don't fail her or yourself again."_

**We're in the darkest region of the human brain, a radiant abyss where men go to find themselves. We're in Hell. **

**"From Hell"**


	20. Old fears resurface

_Author's notes__: yep, here I am again. You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you? XD_

_Ok, first of all I wish to thank V__**ampireNaomi**__ for the pic she drew from the 19__th__ chapter. Thanks again, I love it to bits! _

_Aaaanyway, here's another chapter – which is basically a flashback. Yes, I know almost the whole fic is a flashback, but this one goes further in the past for it's another peak in Monty's childhood (it was needed for the story. Besides, toddler Monty was just too damn cute in "ASIT" , I couldn't resist writing something about his childhood again). It is like…a flashback during the flash forward after the flashback._

_Bet I got you confused now XD_

_Sorry, don't mean to – it's just that I cannot think straight at the moment, since I'm loaded up with painkillers: I've written most of the chapter on my laptop from the hospital because some IDIOT seemed to think it would have been fun trying to drive completely drunk and without a driving licence. I ended up with three broken ribs (man, it _hurts_. Badly), and I've been damn lucky that my left elbow wasn't shattered. At least my motorcycle wasn't very damaged, but I seriously hope to not see that jerk anytime soon: I have better programs for my next holidays rather than jail._

_Uhu…I guess what I'm trying to say is: don't ever, EVER drink and drive. It's a terribly stupid thing that puts your lives and the other's on stake. _

_Alright, enough with pointless ranting. Enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

Monkey Fist silently gazed out of the window. There was no other noise in the room except the sound of rain spattering on the window and Yuki's steady breathing as she slept, her lips slightly parted.

He had expected to feel triumphant, for a long-awaited desire was finally about to be fulfilled. The plan had worked perfectly: she trusted him now, didn't she?

_She's going to be useful_, his mind kept repeating.

He had wanted her to be a tool in his plan, a pawn in his hands – and in a way, now she was. He was positive she would be convinced he wasn't up to something evil, and if Sensei trusted her judgement he would have some advantage. Hopefully, he would be able to retrieve all the pieces of the Obsidian Monkey before they suspected anything, and then…

…_then I will be the Ultimate Monkey Master._

Yes, he would. This time, he would – everything was going as planned, except one thing: he hadn't expected that horrible feeling of regret underneath the long-awaited satisfaction.

"_I don't regret anything,"_ she had said just a few minutes before.

He wished he could say the same thing, but it would have been a lie. He regretted loving her, because he knew it was going to end. He knew he was going to break her heart: reality would set in much sooner than either of them desired.

He let out a frustrated sigh. It was so _wrong_! Things weren't supposed to be this way – letting himself fall in love with her had been a terrible mistake. It was going to make everything more painful, for both of them.

Still, there was a part of him that stubbornly refused to regret what had happened.

Yuki mumbled something, moving slightly in her sleep. Monkey Fist reached to brush a few strands of hair from her face, his fingertips gently caressing her cheek. Her slumber was so peaceful he almost felt guilty for being there, as if his presence could disturb her sleep. He quickly drew back his monkey hand as if his touch could somehow infect her and turned his glance away, a bitter expression on his face.

* * *

_Sensei wasn't surprised to find Monkey Fist sitting on the floor in a lotus position, meditating._

_Maybe he should have waited a bit more for this, until his mind was readier – but maybe he was ready after all. The old man put down the bowl of rice that was meant for Monkey Fist – dinner could wait – and sat on the floor, intently looking at him._

_Though his breathing was perfectly regular – an essential condition for meditating – Sensei noticed his eyes were tightly shut instead of peacefully closed, and sometimes he could see some emotion showing up on his face while his expression should have been blank._

_Whatever he was remembering, it was probably nothing pleasant._

_Meditation is usually supposed to bring peace to agitated minds – but sometimes things are different. Sometimes people need to dig in their own mind, facing the memories hidden from their consciousness in order to find peace. It was a painful process, but sometimes it was necessary._

_Monkey Fist seemed to be doing quite well for now, Sensei mused as he watched his tormented expression. It wasn't going to be easy for him, but Sensei was confident he could make it._

* * *

**Botswana, Africa, August 1971. **

Jungle is never really silent.

Night and day, you can hear an impressive variety of sounds: animals chirping and screeching, soft trills and cackling calls.

It's fascinating, indeed, but it can also be frightening. Even the sound of leaves rustling can be scary – especially when you're four years old and you're lost.

A faint voice echoed among the trees, causing the sounds of the jungle to subside as its inhabitants listened intently, wondering what kind of creature had just stepped in their territory.

"Father?"

It was a human cub, and a scared one. Adult humans could be dangerous with their weapons, but young ones were hardly a treat. Unless some other human found him soon, that little one was doomed. He had just stepped in a place he didn't belong to – and vervet monkeys are extremely territorial: strangers are not welcomed among them. They usually kept themselves away from humans when they didn't raid some farm near the jungle, but this human was so small and weak they could tear him apart without much effort.

"Father? Bates?"

The kid stumbled forward and almost fell. He stopped walking and looked around, desperately trying to figure out where the camp was. Maybe he should have waited for father there instead of trying to follow him – he wasn't allowed to go see him hunting, after all. Besides, mother had surely found out he was gone now – he was going to be grounded for life as soon as he got back at the camp.

_Because I AM getting back at the camp. Sure. I only have to find father, and then everything will be alright. He's going to fix Darwin and bring me back to the camp…isn't he?_

The little boy swallowed and looked down at the small, fur-covered creature he was clutching to his chest. The old Yorkshire Terrier had stopped moving, and he couldn't understand why. He had gone to sleep the night before as usual, but that morning he hadn't moved. He was cold, and he wouldn't move. He didn't even open his eyes, not even when he had tried to give him a cookie.

Maybe he was broken – and Monty was sure father could fix him. He was a doctor, wasn't he? He could fix people, so he could fix animals as well. He knew he had left the camp with Bates at dawn to go hunting, so he had gone looking for him without a second though.

But he couldn't find him, and he had no idea of where he was.

He really didn't want to be there – he wished he were back in England, safe in his family castle. He wouldn't even complain again about those stupid social dinners anymore. Why had his father insisted to bring him with them in that stupid trip? He wasn't even old enough to go hunting with him – and even if he was, he didn't like hunting anyway.

"Father? Bates? Anyone?" he called again, his voice shaking as if he was on the verge of tears. This time he got an answer – a loud, screeching sound. The little boy froze, terrified.

A monkey.

He began to shake uncontrollably, clutching Darwin tighter to his chest. He had always held an irrational fear of primates, though there was no apparent reason – they just scared him out of his wits.

There was another screech, louder this time – the monkey was approaching.

Monty looked around, frenetically looking for a place to hide. He crouched under the roots of a tree, holding the still body of Darwin in his small arms. He took a deep breath, trying to not panic, and listened intently.

The screeching was closer now, so close…

The little boy held back a whimper of fear as a grey-furred animal came to his view. It was a small vervet monkey, clearly still young, and it was limping badly, whimpering. It was bleeding by some bite marks on its back, and there were bleeding scratches on its face – God, Monty was impressed by how human the monkey's face looked. His fear subsided a little as he leaned slightly over, trying to see better, suddenly feeling oddly fascinated by the wounded animal in front of him.

He had never been this close to a monkey, and the fact it didn't scare him as much as he had expected surprised him.

As if sensing his presence, the monkey turned to look at him.

Time seemed to stop as the boy and the animal stared in each other's eyes. Those eyes seemed so human, so intelligent…Monty could have sworn the small animal could see through his soul.

A loud screech suddenly filled the air, immediately followed by others – a whole group of monkeys was approaching quickly. Monty took a sharp breath as the wounded monkey's head snapped up, breaking the eye contact as the small animal looked around, alarmed. The boy could see clearly the terrified look that crossed its terribly human features as it gave a feeble squeal, turning to run away…

Too late.

All at once, a whole group of vervet monkeys were on the lone intruder, a mass of shaggy grey bodies hiding it from Monty's view as loud. Threatening screeches filled the air – soon followed by something else.

Screams. Frightening, almost human screams.

The boy opened his mouth in a silent cry as he watched them beating the intruder to death – but he didn't turn his gaze away, his eyes widened, his young mind blurred with fear, confusion and some other emotion he could not define – awe.

To Monty, 'death' meant nothing – it was the reason he was wandering in the jungle with carrying his beloved dog's lifeless body, after all: he was still too young, and he had never though about life as something that could eventually end.

Never, until now.

At least on a conscious level, he would soon forget what happened that afternoon. But deep in his mind, he would never forget what he had witnessed – children never really forget.

Those animal's wildness and strength as they so effortlessly ended the life of another creature, their determination and unmoved by their victim's screams – it made him feel somehow ashamed of himself, of how weak he was. It made him wish he could be strong enough to defend himself, so he wouldn't be so scared anymore.

A low growl snapped him from his thoughts. He looked up, and his mind was filled with unspeakable dread as he saw some monkeys staring at him with reddened eyes, foam dripping from their mouths.

They had spotted him.

* * *

"_NO!"_

_Monkey Fist let out a scream as he snapped out of his trance, his eyes wide with utter terror. He instinctively raised his arms to protect himself, waiting for the vervet monkeys to rip him apart._

_Nothing happened._

_He blinked a couple of times, and it took him a few moments to realize where he was._

"_I see you're back among us," Sensei's voice said quietly from behind him "found something interesting?"_

_Monkey Fist looked at him, breathing heavily, his heart pounding so fast that he though Sensei could hear it right now. "I…feared them," he blurted out, still shaken._

"_You feared what?"_

"_Monkeys," Monkey Fist answered, looking down at his genetically altered hands with an odd mixture of awe and apprehension "I had no idea…I didn't remember how much they used to frighten me."_

_Sensei nodded slowly. "Turning into what you fear the most is a common way to try controlling your fears," he said quietly._

_Monkey Fist didn't even seem to hear him. "They were everywhere, and…" he swallowed, his throat feeling terribly dry "such strength – and I was so weak, and…and…"_

_He winced as he felt a hand resting on his shoulder. He turned to see Sensei handing him a mug of water. "Drink something and tell me everything you can remember."_


	21. Need to believe

__

Author's notes: yay, another update! XD I'm probably not going to update for a while – mostly because I still have two exams to go before I'm finally free – but since I go 30/30 at the first history exam (yay!) I decided I could as well take a break – so, here's the chapter XD 

Aaanyway…a big THANK YOU to **Hanna/SpicyWeasel **for her wonderful fanart – which you can find here: **http :// ronstoppable . proboards89 . com **(of course, without the spaces) in the Fan Art Talk section. I will never thank her enough, seriously.

So, what are you doing still here? _Go and worship her!_ XD

* * *

"_Interesting," Sensei sa__id, frowning in thought "I think you have learned more about yourself in the past two hours than in you whole life."_

"_I only learned I used to fear monkeys," Monkey Fist took a deep breath, trying to not show Sensei how deeply shaken he still was "I didn't even remember that accident. I can't see how this could be useful."_

"_You've learned much more than this."_

"_Oh, really?" Monkey Fist said sarcastically, a scowl on his face "then please enlighten me…"_

"_I believe you've found the root of your obsession – as I said, turning into what you fear the most is a common way to overcome your fears."_

"_Are you saying" Monkey Fist said slowly "I did all this just because I was afraid of them as a child? No, I refuse to think…this is ridiculous! I didn't even remember I feared them!"_

_The old man sighed __and shook his head. Maybe his mind still wasn't ready, after all._

"_There is no worse blind man than the one who doesn't want to see," he muttered "things are not that simple. First of all, I'm sure you never really forgot that accident. The memory was still somewhere in your mind; you just didn't realize it until now.__ You see, that day not only you had to face your fear – you also knew death for the first time in your life. You had never thought death even existed before, and then you witnessed those creatures claiming the life of another being so effortlessly. Such strength, and you were so weak – you told me this yourself. I bet you envied their strength back then, didn't you?"_

_Monkey Fist's stunned expression was the only answer Sensei needed._

"_Yes, you did. At least on a conscious level, you forgot the accident soon enough. It's amazing how easily children seem to forget bad things, isn't it? Too bad, they don't forget. Not really," he looked straight into Monkey Fist's eyes "just answer to me now – you stopped fearing monkeys from that day on, didn't you?"_

_The monkey man turned his gaze away, staring at the now empty mug in his hands. It was like he was desperately trying to focus on something else rather than what Sensei had told him in order to think straight. "I did," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper._

"_And then your began to be fascinated by them, by the power you saw them hold over their victim," Sensei went on "it doesn't surprise me – fascination is often just another side of fear. Man has always been fascinated by what he fears."_

_There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Monkey Fist closed his eyes, a long-forgotten voice speaking in his mind – his own voice, right after his father's funeral._

"Life is stronger that any other force. It's humans who are weak."

_Yes, humans were weak – unlike the monkeys whose strength he had witnessed that day in the jungle. So weak that a little rain was enough to kill them. So weak that…that…_

_So weak that some rocks falling from the ceiling had been enough to kill her. _

_And it had been his fault – for the second time in his life, however indirectly, he had caused the death of somebody he loved. Monkey Fist let out a sorrowful sigh and hung his head. "I wonder why I'm putting myself through this. Understanding what led me to become what I am won't help me to forgive myself. I have no excuses."_

"_You will have to do something with yourself, sooner or later."_

_Monkey Fist turned to stare at the wall, saying nothing. _

* * *

Part of her wanted to call for him, stop him from leaving the room. She wanted him to hold her tight and never let her go. 

But she just stayed still as he silently left the room, pretending to be still asleep, her eyes closed. She didn't move for a while after he left – she just kept her eyes closed. Unmoving. Unthinking. She didn't want to think – she had stopped thinking rationally the night before, and she couldn't bring herself to face reality.

_You know, this is really nice. But you cannot just pretend to be asleep forever – you have a decision to make, remember?_

_Not now._

_Yes, now. I hate to be bearer of bed news, but you haven't much time left. It is a matter of days before the storm subsides…_

Yuki cringed at the though.

…_and I suppose it is time to start asking yourself a few questions. You know, such as 'what the hell am I going to do now that I let my logic go bye-bye?'_

Yuki sighed, and sat up, brushing a few strands of black hair from her face and trying to ignore the stinging guilt she felt. She had told him the truth earlier – she didn't regret what she had done…what _they_ had done. She could never regret it.

_This isn't the point._

No, it wasn't. The one million dollars question was: what would she report to Sensei? Could she trust him? Could she safely say he wasn't up to anything evil? How was she supposed to decide if believing him or not? How much would her feelings influence her judgment?

Yuki shook her head. She had asked herself those questions so many times, and still she couldn't come to an answer. There was no proof he was actually planning something evil. He had allowed her to stay instead of getting rid of her. He has been honest about the idol's nature – as far as she knew, he hadn't lied about anything.

As far as she knew…

_He wasn't lying. You know he wasn't._

Yuki gave a heavy sigh. Who was she kidding? There was nothing that could help her to decide: everything was up to her judgment, and she already knew she would choose to believe him. She would choose to believe him because she desperately _wanted_ to.

She grabbed his pillow – it was still warm. Yuki hid her face in it, inhaling his scent, her mind wandering to what had happened the night before – the closeness, the warmth of his skin, his gaze and his whispers as she lost herself in his embrace.

The thought he could have been lying to her the whole time just broke her heart.

She _needed_ to believe him.

* * *

_Monkey Fist was tossing and turning in his sleep – his eyes tightly shut, his features upset, his face sticky with sweat. He sometimes mumbled something in his sleep, sometimes he cried out._

_No rest for the wicked, people always say. So true._

"_You shouldn't be here." Sensei's voice was barely a whisper as he walked inside the dark room._

_The figure shrugged. "Yori told me what you drugged him – he's not going to wake up soon, is he?"_

"_No," Sensei admitted as he stepped closer "he isn't. He asked me to – he couldn't bear another sleepless night. Too bad, I cannot protect him from his own mind."_

_A hand gently cupped Monkey Fist's sweaty cheek, and a wet cloth was placed on his forehead. His tormented expression seemed to relax slightly – Sensei didn't know if it was because of the cool, wet cloth on his forehead or the gentle, familiar touch on his cheek. Maybe both._

"_He still has nightmares…"_

"_Didn't Hirotaka tell you already?"_

"_Yes, he did – it's not like I'm surprised anyway. He used to have a troubled sleep even before – but never like this."_

"_He's going trough a lot lately."_

"_He isn't the only one. Morning sickness isn't that nice either, you know – and I'm not sure I want to know how it will be like in a few months. Another reason why I should strangle him right now, I guess."_

_Sensei smiled a little. "Speaking of which, have you already made your decision?"_

"_Not yet."_

"_What is your heart telling you?"_

"_I cannot trust my heart. It already betrayed me once."_

_Sensei shook his head. "It's not your heart that betrayed you – he did," he said, gesturing to the monkey man._

"_Does it make any difference?"_

"_It does."_

_There was a brief silence. Monkey Fist's expression had melted into a peaceful one, for his mind finally slipped into a dreamless sleep. A blanket was pulled under his chin._

"_I should hate him now."_

"_Yes, you should – if love were to follow logic. But it doesn't."_

"_Neither do I. What a nice combination – I was bounded to do something stupid sooner or later…like trusting him, just to say one."_

_Sensei couldn't help but smile a little. "Probably. But people learn by mistaking – all they have to do is to learn their lesson and move on."_

"_I cannot forget what he's done."_

"_Of course not: you cannot and you mustn't forget. But this doesn't mean you cannot forgive."_

_The figure's lips curled in a grin. "You know, it is almost creepy how wise you sound."_

_The old man shrugged. "I though the same of my master when I was young," he chuckled "though I would have never dared to point it out like you did – but I didn't expect less from you" he gave another chuckle as he turned to leave "I'll leave you alone now, he shouldn't wake up before dawn. Just think about what I told you – it's not only about _your_ future you have to decide. There's someone else you have to think about."_

"_I know."_

_There was a heavy sigh as the door closed behind Sensei. _"_Looks like you and Sensei don't have anything better to do than forcing me to make some decision one way or another. Great. My two cents: I'm going to do something very stupid – again."_

_Monkey Fist shifted slightly in his sleep, as if trying to move towards the voice. He relaxed again as fingertips gently brushed against his skin, tracing his features._

"_If only I could hate you__..."_

**Hear my silent prayer,  
heed my quiet call,  
when the dark and blue surround you.**

**Step into my sigh,  
look inside the light,  
you will know that I have found you…**

(Secret Garden – Dreamcatcher)


	22. Aishiteru

_Author's notes__: I have no idea of where I found the time for writing down this chapter – seriously, I have no idea XD_

_Just one thing before you go on reading: "Aishiteru" means "I love you" in Japanese. Yep, I know I'm getting sappy XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Slumped in his armchair, Monkey Fist was gazing absent-mindedly at the fireplace, a bitter expression still on his face. The room was empty, for his monkey ninjas had quickly learned to stay out of his way when he had one of his moods. 

However, it was better this way: he wanted…no, he _needed_ to be alone now.

_I got what I wanted, didn't I? She completely trusts me now: without Yamanouchi school's ninjas in my way, Mystical Monkey Power is within my reach._

Yes, everything had gone according to the plan: now, as long as he could retrieve the missing pieces of the Obsidian Monkey legally, there was nothing they could do to stop him. Nothing.

Ironically enough, law was on his side – or, at least, it would be on his side just as long as he needed it. The power he craved for would soon be his, and then...then…

He let out a sigh and held his head in his hands, glancing at the window. In a little more than a week, the storm would subside. Yuki was going to leave – and should their paths ever cross again, he knew they would be nothing more but enemies. He would never again see her smile, never again feel her touch, never again taste her lips.

Or maybe…just maybe, after he had obtained the Mystical Monkey Power he could bring her to his side. Maybe he could make her change her mind, and if she didn't he could as well force her to…

Monkey Fist shook his head. No, it was hopeless: no matter what he did to convince her to switch to his sides, no matter if he forced her to be his against her will – he already knew she would never switch sides, especially not after finding out that he had used her.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest as he realized that she was going to think that he had lied to her about _everything_ – she was going to believe that he had just coldly, uncaring used her feelings to gain her trust.

She would never know he wasn't just pretending to love her – but maybe it was better this way. It would have been better for her to just hate him.

She would never again think of him as anything else but an enemy, never again look at him with anything but hate and disgust. She would loathe him, and she would never know how much it hurt him.

Monkey Fist though back of her peaceful expression as she slept next to him just a few minutes earlier, when he had felt almost unworthy to touch her. For the briefest moment, a wild thought crossed his mind – to just let it all go, to forget about his quest for power and just ask Yuki to not leave.

He quickly shook his head, as if trying to get such thoughts out of his mind.

_Nonsenses: you already knew that your path was going to be a lonely one, and you accepted it a long time ago. You've given up too many things chasing the Mystical Monkey Power – you cannot hesitate now. You will have time to forget her – just think, think of the power you will hold in your hands: an everlasting power beyond your wildest dreams. On the other hand…well, she's just a human. Humans are weak, vulnerable…do you really want to give up everything your worked so hard to achieve just for someone that sooner or later will be taken from you anyway? _

He gritted his teeth at the though. "Never!" he muttered at the empty room. He took a deep breath and leaned back on the armchair, as if his sudden outburst had taken all his stranght. He stayed still for a few minutes, staring ahead, desperately trying to not think anymore…

A pair of hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind. The sudden movement startled him for a moment before the realization dawned on him, chasing away his dark thoughts.

"Guess who," Yuki's voice said with a slight chuckle.

"Well…" Monkey Fist couldn't help but smirk as he pretended to think "Carmen?"

"Hey!" she exclaimed, slapping him playfully

"Ow!"

"Oh, don't be such a fuss – it can't have hurt too much."

"I beg to differ," he muttered as he rubbed his cheek.

Yuki just looked down at him, her hands on her hips. "This will teach you to keep your tongue in check," she said, grinning a little, then she frowned slightly "who's Carmen, anyway?"

Monkey Fist shrugged. "I have no idea," he said, as he reached for her and pulled her on his lap.

She tipped the tip of his nose. "You better be telling the truth."

"Had you worried, didn't I?" he sneered.

"I _will_ get you back for that, someday. Just wait."

"Jealous?" he asked casually, raising an eyebrow as she curled on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck.

She chuckled softly, her breath warm against his ear. It felt good leaning against him like that – she still felt a bit sore, but in an oddly pleasant way. "Yes. A lot."

"I honestly can't see why. Last time I checked, there weren't many women standing in a row in front of my door…"

"How about your Number One Fangirl?"

Monkey Fist shuddered at the though, causing Yuki to laugh. "You promised," he protested.

"Stop whining, you had it coming. I told you I would get you back…"

"This was a far too cruel punishment," he muttered.

"There's no fiercer thing than a woman in love," she said softly, her head resting on his shoulder, an odd melancholy in her voice as she tried to fight back all her doubts and fears about him. She could feel his grip around her tighten as she spoke the last word, the word that neither of them had dared to say aloud – _love_.

"Yuki, I…" Monkey Fist paused, unsure "how long have you been awake?" he finally asked.

"Just a few minutes," she lied "why?"

"I'm…sorry I left you alone."

Her lips curled in a smirk. "It is the fourth time you apologize about something…"

Monkey Fist blinked. "Are you _really_ counting them?"

"Yes."

"May I ask _why_?"

She shrugged. "Because," she just said as she reached to pinch his right ear playfully "you have funny ears, you know."

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "I've heard it before," he grunted as she pinched his earlobe again "would you _please_ stop that?"

"Aw, c'mon…don' t be so touchy," Yuki's grin widened, but she stopped teasing him. She reached up to cup his face instead, and he seized her hand, holding it against his skin. He turned his head, his lips brushing against her palm.

"I shouldn't have left," he said quietly.

Yuki shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You apologized, didn't you?" she smiled a little.

"I did," Monkey Fist said, an odd melancholy in his voice as he held her tighter and hid his face in her hair. He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent.

_I will never apologive enough for what I'm going to do to you._

"Monty?"

"Yes?" he asked, absent-mindedly stroking her hair.

"_Aishiteru_," she whispered.

His eyes snapped open as she spoke, a shiver running down his spine. He looked down at her in utter shock – he already _knew_ she did, but for some reason he hadn't expected hearing her to really _say_ it.

_I love you._

He opened his mouth to speak, but no answer came out – nor Yuki seemed to expect any. She just cupped his face again, leaning forward, and kissed his lips lightly. He hesitated only for a moment before kissing her back, letting himself forget the thoughts that had been plaguing his mind. Yes, she was going to hate him later on – there would never be a chance for them to be together again. But right _now_ she was there, in his arms, exactly where she belonged, telling him that she loved him.

And even though he knew it was going to end, he felt like it was enough for now.

* * *

_Monkey Fist opened his eyes slowly as he awoke from his peaceful slumber. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, sitting up on the mattress._

"_Looks like you actually needed a night of good sleep__"_

"_Uhu?" he turned to see Sensei standing a few feet from him, serenely looking at him._

_The old man chuckled. "Feeling better today?"_

_Monkey Fist nodded. "Yes, much better," he sounded surprised, as if he couldn't believe how…relieved he felt after a whole night of nightmare-free sleep – __no long forgotten memories and regrets plagued his thoughts now; there was only a deep internal calm, much like the one he felt every time he held Yuki close to him, letting himself forget what was going to happen._

_The thought seemed to awake something in his memory, for his hand went to his cheek – it didn't escape Sensei that t was the same cheek she had cupped the night before. He smiled inwardly: Monkey Fist could be completely oblivious, but there was a part of him, his very soul, that couldn't be fooled that easily._

"_So," Sensei said "what are you going to do now?"_

_Monkey Fist gave him a confused glare. "Excuse me?"_

"_You still have a journey to finish. Now that you've begun to look inside your soul, it won't just leave you alone until you come to understanding what led you to become what you are today."_

"_I thought we already knew what started my obsession."_

"_Yes, we know how it started – what still escapes you is the reason why it got the better of you."_

_He monkey man sighed. "Do you really think it wouldn't just be a loss of time? I already destroyed my own life. Understanding why wouldn't make much difference."_

"_Of course not – but you owe an explanation to yourself. Understanding is the first step to find peace."_

"_I will never find peace."_

"_It's what I though many years ago," Sensei said with a shrug as he walked to the door. He turned to him again before leaving "but as you can see, I was wrong."_

_Monkey Fist stared at him, confused. "What do you mean…?"_

"_You're not the first man to blame himself from someone's death," Sensei said quietly as he closed the door behind him._

_For a while Monkey Fist just stared at the closed door, thinking of what Sensei had just said. He had never though that anyone else could have felt the same way he was feeling now – especially Sensei. Still, it made sense – it would explain why he always seemed to know exactly how to treat him._

_He though of the serene expression that never left his face – was it really possible for anyone with such a weight on his conscience to find peace? "You owe an explanation to yourself," he had said. Maybe he was right; maybe he actually needed to understand._

_He had lost everything to follow his thirst of power, and he was going to be plagued by guilt for the rest of his life. It was what he deserved, and he could bear it – but it couldn't bear not knowing why he had let this happen._

_Yes, he needed to know._


	23. Sensei's tale

_Author's notes__: yup, an update – from which you can easily guess I'm almost done with exams and I'm soon going to have my freedom back XD_

_Aaaanyway, back to business: for every Monkey Fist fan out there, a LJ community has been created for sharing and discussing fanwork about him – you'll find the link on my profile page._

_One last thing: the first part of the chapter DOES have a meaning, I didn't just lost my mind. Just to let you know XD_

_Ok, I guess that's all. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Botswana, Africa, August 1971. **

Monty raised his arms and opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out – his whole body felt numb, and refused to move. He could just stare ahead, almost hypnotized by the sight in front of him, his arms still raised to shield himself.

Time seemed to slow down for a few instants as the pack of rabid monkeys just stared back at him with reddened eyes, foam dripping form their fangs – fangs sharp enough to bite his hand off, he vaguely thought, his fear somehow soothed by awe.

A squealing snapped him from is thoughts – one of the vervet monkeys, the biggest one, had taken a few steps towards him. The kid shifted slightly, and froze as the monkey's eyes followed his move. It was observing him intently, almost with curiosity – the same way a kid would look at a caged animal in a zoo. Despite the situation, the thought was so ironical that a slight smile crept on Monty's face as he stayed still, trying to keep his mind lucid enough to think of what he could do.

Running away was out of question: monkeys were much quicker than he was, they would catch him easily. He couldn't call for help, because his chances to be heard by anyone were too slim to take the risk to make the monkeys nervous enough to attack him like they did with the smaller monkey – and there was no way he could have fought them off.

Monty swallowed as the frightening truth sink in his mind – he was completely helpless. He wasn't strong, he wasn't quick…he was alone.

He was doomed.

There realization hit him just as the leader of the pack gave a shriek and leapt for him, its fangs bared. The boy screamed and shut his eyes, waiting for the monkey's teeth to sink in his flesh…

"Montgomery!"

A powerful gunshot echoed in the jungle, immediately followed by a feeble shriek. Monty opened his eyes to see the vervet monkey collapse on the ground just a few feet from him, a smoking hole between its now dazed eyes. The kid raised his gaze to see that the rest of the pack was quickly scurrying away, terrified.

Monty knew who his saviour was even before hearing him call his name, even before turning to look at him – there was only one person he knew that actually called him with his full name and that could hit a quickly moving target with such a deadly precision.

"Father…?"

* * *

"_Dammit!"_

_Monkey Fist let out a frustrated growl as he leaned against the wall, small drops of sweat running down his face._

_It was the already the fifth time his mind brought back that episode – why? He already knew that it had been that incident to put the seeds of obsession in his mind – bringing it back again and again wouldn't help him to understand what had made those seeds grow._

_Monkey Fist groaned, trying to ignore his growing headache._

_Meditation had always been a way to help him focus and forget his problems to him, but now that he had begun to use it to dig in his own memory it was emotionally painful and both physically and mentally tiring – not to mention frustrating, especially when he just couldn't remember anything that would help him to explain himself why he had let his obsession leading him to insanity._

_Sensei had warned him – it was going to be a long journey, and a difficult one. _'You will have to be very strong and very brave'_, he had said._

_But maybe he wasn't strong enough. _

_Maybe he wasn't brave enough._

_But he was trying – God, he was actually _trying_ to understand, but much to his frustration his mind would just torture him with unwanted memories, keeping him in his ignorance and making his suffering even worse. _

_He had endured much pain in the last weeks, both physical and emotional – but the though that he could end up spending his life without even knowing what had actually led him to destroy everything he had seemed a fate worse than death to him: ignorance would have been a far worse punishment than guilt itself._

"_How can I hope to find peace when even my own mind wants to punish me?" he asked to the empty room, staring at the opposite wall._

_Had he really hoped he could find peace somehow? What a fool he had been! Sensei had been wrong, there would never be peace for him again – he just didn't deserve it. He deserved nothing, not even knowing what had led him to insanity. There was nothing but grief left for him in this world._

"_I pretty much asked for it, didn't I, Yuki?" he said with a dark chuckle "I wanted too many things, and I couldn't see the happiness that I could have. I ended up destroying the only thing I ever needed…"_

_He buried his face in his hands as his dark chuckles soon turned into __harsh, dry sobs that wracked his whole body and tore the breath from his lungs._

"_I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"_

_It was like opening a dam; he just couldn't stop. He sat in the empty room for a long time, sobbing until his throat was raw and he had no tears left to cry, until his sobs sounded almost like coughs and then subsided to whimpers – until he felt the gentle weigh of a hand resting on his shoulder._

"_Now, now," Sensei's voice chided him "I don't think crying your eyes out will help you."_

_Monkey Fist took a deep, shaky breath and removed his hands from his face, looking at the old man. Never in his life he would have though he could get so low – only weeks ago he would have felt insulted at the thought of weeping, let alone in front of someone he considered an enemy._

_Still, 'weeks ago' almost felt like another lifetime now – and for some reason, Sensei seemed now the only person that he felt almost comfortable around: always listening, never judging._

_He turned his eyes away, unable to bear his gaze, saying nothing._

"_May I ask what caused such a breakdown?"_

"_I can't do it," Monkey Fist rasped, his throat so raw that speaking felt painful. Sensei seemed to understand, for he handed him a mug of water, which he gratefully accepted._

"_What is it that you can't do?" he asked quietly as Monkey Fist gulped down some water._

"_I can't remember," he said, his voice steadier this time. He gulped down some more water, and took a deep breath "I can't remember…"_

"_And what are you supposed to remember?"_

"_I don't know, I…" he swallowed "something…_anything_ that could help me to understand."_

_Sensei smiled slightly. "I see you followed my advice, then. That's good."_

_Monkey Fist shook his head. "There's nothing good about it. It isn't working. I keep remembering…that accident…but I already know it was only the beginning! I need to know more, but my mind just won't get let me see anything past that!"_

"_Well, the fact you're trying is still a good thing. It means you didn't give up after all."_

_Monkey Fist gave a weary sigh. "I'm giving up now. It's useless," he said quietly "I will never find peace."_

"_Never, you say?" Sensei gave a slight chuckle and sat next to him "you know, I think I have a story to tell you."_

_The monkey man gave him a confused glare. "A story?"_

"_Yes, a story. One you could be interested to hear," he shifted slightly, sitting more comfortably on the floor "it happened many, many years ago. There was a young student here back then – a foolish boy like many others, whose greatest dream was to become a ninja to keep high his family's honor. His name…" Sensei paused, then he chuckled "oh, well…nobody uses his true name anymore, so I guess it isn't really important. We may as well call him…yes, 'Seito' should do."_

_Monkey Fist listened intently, frowning slightly as Sensei used that obviously fake name – 'seito' just meant 'student' in Japanese._

"_Now, this boy, Seito, was a very gifted student – but pride was his worst flaw. He was both arrogant and foolish – much like you, actually," Sensei seemed amused by Monkey Fist's slight frown " in retrospect, it was almost easy to guess that something like that would happen."_

"_What happened?"_

"_You see, you're not the first one who tried to steal the Lotus Blade," Sensei went on, ignoring Monkey Fist's slightly guilty expression "there was a ninja, one Saburo, that had been banished from Yamanouchi – rules were very strict back then – and he decided to steal the Lotus Blade for revenge. The theft was discovered soon enough, and every student, Seito included, was sent around Mt. Yamanouchi looking for him." Sensei paused again, staring at the wall as if he could see something Monkey Fist couldn't._

"_Since Saburo was a highly skilled and dangerous ninja" he finally went on "our old Sensei gave us extremely precise instructions: should any student – especially the less experienced ones – find him first, they should immediately go calling for help from some more experienced one without trying to fight him alone" a melancholic half-smile formed on Sensei's lips "can't you guess what happened next?"_

"_Seito found him first," Monkey Fist said slowly "and he tried to fight him alone instead of warning the others."_

"_What makes you think things went this way?"_

"_Because…" the monkey man paused "it's what I would have done," he finally admitted._

_Sensei seemed amused. "And this is also what Yuki did – she went looking for you as she knew you were around here. She wanted to face you alone because it was a personal matter to her," he shrugged, ignoring the pained expression on Monkey Fist's face as he mentioned Yuki._

"_I told you – you were not that different," he chuckled "anyway…yes, Seito tried to fight him alone – in his arrogance, he actually though he could fight a more skilled and experience student. He was easily defeated, of course, for he was no match for Saburo. The only reason why he didn't pay for his foolishness by dying that day is because someone else gave his life to save him – another student, a friend that saw what was happening and rushed to help him instead of leaving him to his fate and call for help."_

_Sensei paused and stared blankly at the wall. "His name was Arashi," he said quietly "Saburo defeated him as easily as he had defeated Seito, but Arashi gained enough time for the others to find them and overcome Saburo. Saito survived with a few broken bones, but Arashi wasn't that lucky. As you know, the Lotus Blade doesn't forgive."_

_There was a long silence as Sensei finished speaking._

"_And…what happened to Seito?" Monkey Fist finally asked hesitantly "was he banished from Yamanouchi?"_

"_No, he wasn't – the old Sensei understood that it had been his foolishness and young age to make him act like that. Of course, the boy had a very hard time: he was eaten by guilt every day for causing another student's death – a student who was also a dear friend of his. It took him a very long time and a painful process to come to terms with what he had done and find the strength to forgive himself – but he eventually did it._

"_He did?" Monkey Fist sounded astonished, as if he couldn't believe what Sensei was saying._

"_Yes. He understood that wasting his life mourning wouldn't bring his friend back: if he wanted to redeem himself, he had to dry his tears an live his life keeping his memory alive" Sensei chuckled slightly, getting up "and yes, he found peace. And if he made it, I don't see why you couldn't as well."_

_Monkey Fist opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He just watched speechless as Sensei left the room, an almost forgotten feeling warming his heart – hope._

_For the first time in weeks, he dared to hope._


	24. Parenthood is a tough job

Author's notes: here I go again - writing another chapter instead of studying. I blame the annoying little voice in my brains who tells me _"write" _in the most inopportune moments fot that. But hey, who am I to argue?

Absolutely random fact: to write this chapter I asked my mother a lot of questions about the earlier stages of pregnancy. She must have gotten the wrong impression, because at some point she asked me: "Alex...is there _anything _you may want to tell me?" XD

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"_Yuki-sempai?" Yori called cautiously, ready to get out of the room at any moment. Yuki could snap for nothing lately, and she was the kind of person you wouldn't want to be mad at you. And right now her mood wasn't exactly the brightest "Sensei asked how are you feeling." _

_Yuki shrugged. "How am I feeling? Oh, well…I spend half of my time eating and the other half throwing up anything I eat. I feel bloat, I'm always tired, I switch moods so easily that it's almost scary, I suddenly have a craving for strawberries even though I barely got to taste them once in my life and…what else? Oh, yes, the thought of becoming a mother scares the heck out of me and the father of the child – who almost ended up having me killed, by the way – is currently busy in a trip down Memory Lane. He can only be glad that I still haven't got a chance to put my hands on a pair of scissors" she paused for a few moments "other than that I'm perfectly fine, thank you."_

_There was a brief silence, with Yori glancing at her with a slightly confused glare as if wondering what she would ever need scissors for. It was almost comical how naïve she could be on certain subjects, Yuki mused._

"_Ok, forget whatever I said. I'm fine, really. Did Sensei send you just to ask me that?"_

"_No" Yori let out a small sigh, relieved to see that her mood wasn't that bad after all "he also told me to tell you that…his journey is coming to its conclusion."_

"_I'm really happy for him," Yuki said icily, trying to sound as if she didn't care._

"_Sensei will let him leave Yamanouchi soon enough.."_

"_How soon?"_

"_A couple of weeks…three at most," Yori paused "Yuki-sempai…are you really letting him go away without even letting him know you're alive?"_

_Yuki turned her glance away from the younger girl. "It's better this way."_

"_But…"_

"_He hurt me, Yori. Deeply."_

"_But you still love him," Yori stated quietly, carefully studying her expression._

_Yuki sighed. "Yes, I do. But the best thing I can do now is to just forget him. He will have his life, I will have mine."_

"_And he will live his alone."_

"_That's not my problem," Yuki said, a bitter expression on her face._

"_He will never be happy without you."_

_Yuki's eyes softened. "I know, " she said quietly._

"_And you? Will you ever be happy without him?"_

_She shrugged. "I'll try," she said, looking out of the window._

"_And…what about the baby?"_

_A bitter expression crossed Yuki's features as she placed a hand on her belly – she was almost three months expecting now, and the pregnancy was beginning to show up even so slightly. There was a part of her that still thought that keeping the baby had been a mistake – motherhood was a though job, and she wasn't really sure she could make a good mother. Not at all. _

"_Yamanouchi has always been my home. It will be his as well" her expression softened slightly as she thought of how Sensei had given her the permission to stay even though it was against the most conservative rules, convincing her to keep the child while she was debating to herself is she should get rid of it or not._

"_But the baby will never know–"_

"_Neither did I," Yuki cut her off a bit sharply "but I survived, didn't I? Besides…" she shook her head "I don't think Monty would ever be a good father. I mean, it's Monkey Fist we're talking about."_

"_Well…" Yori thought back at when he had stolen the Lotus Blade and kidnapped her, ranting about Mystical Monkey Power, Monkey Masters and so on "you have a point."_

_Yuki gave her a small smirk. "I always do, don't I?" _

_There was a brief silence._

"_You know," Yori spoke slowly "maybe…just maybe…you could consider giving him another chance."_

_Yuki gave her a surprised glance. "I thought you despised him."_

"_Yes, I did – I do. I never really understood what did you see in him, but…" she paused "he had a breakdown this morning," she finally added._

"_A breakdown?" Yuki frowned slightly in concern._

"_Yes. He had never broke down like that before" Yori said, a clear trace of pity in her voice "I could hear him sobbing through the door – he called for you a couple of times…he kept saying he was sorry. He didn't stop until Sensei went in to calm him down."_

"_It's easy being sorry after the damage is done," Yuki said sarcastically, but she couldn't hide her concern from Yori's watchful eye._

"_Sensei managed to calm him down somehow, but he will probably have to drug him tonight. He's still shaken, and he wouldn't sleep otherwise. And…" Yuki seemed suddenly uneasy "Sensei also asked for you to stay with him while he sleeps tonight. He says that your presence would help him to rest well."_

_Yuki bit her lower lip, unsure. "I don't know if I should see him again."_

"_You're afraid you may change your mind, aren't you?"_

_Yuki sighed. "Sometimes I think you know me too well. Where is Sensei?"_

"_He's still with Monkey Fist. He said he needs his help through this part of his journey." _

* * *

"_Nothing," Monkey Fist sighed as he rubbed his temples "every time I try to focus, I can't remember anything beside that day."_

"_You can stop trying then," Sensei said quietly._

"_But…"_

"_No buts. It is obvious that the only reason why you cannot remember anything else is because there isn't anything you need to remember."_

_The monkey man blinked. "Excuse me?"_

"_You heard me. You don't need to dig in your memory anymore – there isn't any other hidden episode you need to remember...__nothing you don't already remember, at least. You already know everything you need to know: all you have to do is to give everything the right meaning in order to understand why you let the consequences of that accident grow into obsession and get the better of you."_

"_The right meaning?" he repeated "but how? I don't even know where to…"_

"_You know how everything began – it is a start. I'm sure there is a hint somewhere in the memories you brought back to surface. The key to understand what led you on the wrong path."_

"_The key?"_

"_Think now – did you bring up anything else about that accident in Africa besides what you already told me? Any detail, no matter how small, can be important."_

* * *

**Botswana, Africa, August 1971. **

The man stood still a few seconds after he fired, the gun still smoking in his hands. He did not pay attention to the monkeys who where quickly scurrying away – everything he could see right now was the dead money on the ground. Death had caught it with its fangs bared – fangs sharp enough to kill a child with one single, powerful bite.

Sharp enough to kill _his_ child.

In the fraction of second before he had pulled the trigger, a frightening vision had crossed his mind – the bullet missing the target, the monkey's teeth sinking into young, tender flesh, his son screaming…

_No. Not my son. I won't let you._

"Montgomery!"

He had fired, barely having time to aim properly. The animal had dropped dead on the ground just a few feet from the terrified child – and now Lord Matthew Fiske found himself being unable to move, his coal black eyes fixed on he corpse of the creature who had almost ended his son's short life. His mind was completely blank for a few moments, refusing to think of what would have happened if he had come there just a few seconds too late.

"A perfect shot, Milord, as usual" Bates' collected voice sounded somewhere behind him – the he was clearly oblivious of what had just happened, of how close his future master had been to meet a premature and painful death.

"Milord?" Bates called again as he noticed that something wasn't quite right with his master. He was about to question him as a quivering voice reached them.

"Father…?"

A massive sense of relief hit Lord Fiske, who seemed to snap from some kind of trance and carelessly dropped the gun on the ground as if he suddenly felt too heavy for him.

Bates blinked, taking a few steps forward. "Young sir!" he exclaimed, bewildered "but what…how…?"

He turned to his master to ask what had just happened, but Lord Fiske was no longer by his side – he had already ran to pick up his son from the ground, holding his small, shaking frame to his chest with a sigh of relief. He was terrified, but unharmed, thank God.

"I…they were so many, I didn't know…I didn't…" the Monty stuttered as his hid his face in his father's shirt, his eyes still wide with fear "I'm sorry, I'll never again…I didn't mean to…I just…"

"Hush," Matthew Fiske said gently, rubbing the kid's back to reassure him "it's alright now, they're gone."

He knew he should have scolded him, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. Monty seemed terrified enough – there was no point in rebuking him. He had learned his lesson anyway – no more roaming the jungle alone. At least not in the next sixty, seventy years.

_At least._

He just couldn't stay angry to him – not while he was so immensely relieved that he was fine. Actually, he just couldn't stay angry at anyone for more than a few minutes for whatever reason – he was the kind of man who could dismiss anything with a good-natured chuckle and a shrug. As he always said, his wife was the one who wore trousers in their marriage – and he didn't mind in the least.

The though of his wife's possible reaction after knowing how close her son had been to death chilled him.

"Bates?" he called, turning his gaze to his faithful butler.

"Yes, Milord?" Bates had recollected to gun that his master had dropped and he was just standing behind them, waiting for the next order.

"Mary must never, _ever_ know what happened today. We'll bring it in our graves, won't we?"

"Of course, Milord," was all Bates said. Truth to be told, he was glad about that master's decision – he didn't exactly _die_ to confront Milady. Only once he had witnessed her blue eyes flash with anger, and it had been enough.

Lord Fiske nodded, satisfied, and turned his attention back to his son. "What were you doing here?" he finally asked, trying without much success to sound stern. It was kind of difficult to sound stern while every word he spoke was dripping with relief. Fatherhood was quite a though job, he mused.

"It's Darwin," Monty said, and Matthew noticed for the first time the small, furry animal his son was holding in his arms "he…he just stopped moving. I think he's broken. I thought you could fix him, so I went after you…"

"Darwin?" Lord Fiske took the old Yorkshire Terrier's limp body from Monty's arms and glanced down at it, incredulous. His son had risked his life because he hoped he would be able to…_fix_ his dog. He sighed as he realized he was going to have to disappoint him greatly.

"Monty, Darwin is not a toy, he is – he was...a living being. He's not 'broken' – he's dead. I'm sorry."

"Dead?" Monty frowned while struggling to understand the unfamiliar word. He was only four years old, after all.

"You see…" Lord Fiske though for a moment – how can you explain death to a child?

"Darwin had something in him that we cannot see, something called 'life'. It is like…like a battery, the most powerful battery in the world. But, powerful as it may be, it eventually comes to an end…"


	25. Getting rid of guilt

Author's notes: guess what you're getting? Yup, another pointless chapter and some other pointless author's notes XD

Well, not exactly _that _pointless (the chapter, I mean – the notes are always pointless XD) since it flashes out one of the main reasons why Monty let his obsession get the better of him eventually – but he still has another issue to confront before he's ready to fully understand what it was that led him to make certain choices in his life.

So…well, whatever I was going to say, I forgot it. So just enjoy the new chapter XD

* * *

"…_Powerful as it may be, it eventually comes to an end…"_

_Sensei raised an eyebrow as Monkey Fist's voice faded in the middle of the sentence, his eyes widening as if a sudden realization had just hit him. The old man gave a satisfied smile – he was on to something, after all._

"_Is something wrong?"_

"_I…" Monkey Fist's voice sounded hesitant and yet distant as he stared blankly ahead, his mind wandering somewhere else. He shook his head, as if trying to chase away some thought._

"A little rain was enough to kill him," _a too-well known voice spoke somewhere in his mind_ "he fell ill and died because of some rain, Bates. Just…rain"

"_No…nothing's wrong."_

"_Glad to hear that. But something did cross your mind," Sensei insisted, observing him._

_Monkey Fist quickly turned away from Sensei, but his slightly guilty expression didn't escape the old man. "It was nothing important."_

"…**it's humans who are weak..."**

_Sensei sighed – and so he was in denial once again. Just how thick-headed could he be?_

"_Now, now," he chided him "do you really think you can fool me that easily? You just realized something, and maybe it is the key to understand–"_

"_I realized nothing!" Monkey Fist suddenly growled, cutting him off. Whatever he was trying to hide from him, Sensei mused, it seemed to be quite a touchy subject._

_He frowned slightly. "Lying to me or yourself will make you no good," he said with a sharp edge in his voice, striking a calculated blow "it was your lies that caused all this."_

_The monkey man shuddered as if he had been hit physically by those words. His frown faded into a sorrowful expression as he dropped his shoulders with a heavy sigh, staring at the ground. _

"…**gathered here to give our last goodbye to a great man…"**

"_It's something I don't like to think about," he said slowly, still avoiding Sensei's gaze and hoping against hope that he wouldn't question him any further._

"_I'm afraid you will have to," the old man thought about what he was saying before he trailed off "does it have something to do with death?" he asked serenely._

_Monkey Fist shook his head, his eyes tightly shut. _

…**earth to earth. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust…**

"_No…" he whimpered, and Sensei knew he was right._

"_Yes, it does," his eyes narrowed as he studied Monkey Fist's expression – guilt and pain were written all over his face "another death you blame yourself for."_

"_Don't…" Monkey Fist's voice was barely a whisper now, confirming his suspects. _

_Sensei nodded to himself – he had a good guess of whose death Monkey Fist blamed himself for: Yuki had told him that his father had died when he was very young, and he was talking about him before he suddenly trailed off. _

"_Tell me what happened to your father."_

_Monkey Fist shook his head. "Please…I cannot face any more guilt," he said wearily "not now. Not ever." _

"_But you have to – here and now. We were looking for a key to understand how could it have happened that you let your obsession get the better of you – and now I think you found it."_

"_My father?"_

"_Not him – his death. I'm sure that episode had a deeper effect in your life and choices than it meets the eye."_

…**she's just a human. Humans are weak, vulnerable…do you really want to give up everything your worked so hard to achieve just for someone that sooner or later will be taken from you anyway…?**

_Monkey Fist violently shook his head. "You're wrong," he said sharply._

"_You're lying, and you know it," Sensei's expression softened slightly "don't you want to find peace? Isn't your soul yearning for forgiveness?"_

_No answer came from Monkey Fist. Sensei sighed: it was frustrating in a way – he was refusing his chance to understand what had led him to the wrong path only because he couldn't find the strength to face guilt again. Still…how could a child be guilty of anyone's death? _

"_You know," he said slowly "you might be blaming yourself for nothing."_

"_He died of pneumonia because I was nothing but a whiny, spoiled brat," Monkey Fist said bitterly, "I made him get out of home during a downpour to bring me to the London zoo when for my seventh birthday – his lungs had been weakened by an illness when he was young, and the weather caused the pneumonia that brought him to his grave. It was my fault."_

_Sensei raised an eyebrow. "You…'made' him? But he was a grown man, while you were merely a child. How could you possibly 'make' him to do anything?" _

_The monkey man rolled his eyes. "Fine then – I _convinced_ him to do so. So what? It doesn't change anything."_

"_It changes quite a lot of things, really," Sensei said quietly. Maybe if he could convince him that after all he wasn't guilty of his father's death he would be willing to think back about how that loss had changed his life. It was worth a try; besides, it wouldn't have been fair for him to bear the guilt of something he wasn't responsible for – there was already a heavy weigh on his shoulders now._

"_For whatever reason you asked him to get out of home with a such bad weather, he could have just refused – but he didn't. And it was his own choice."_

"_You said the same thing of Yuki," Monkey Fist said, his voice shaking even so slightly "but you also agree her death was my fault…"_

"_Only partially: you might be the one who started the chain of events that would have ended up in your last encounter, the fight and then the incident in the cave temple, but she choose to save you instead of leaving you to your fate. Besides, it's not about Yuki we're talking now – we're talking about your father. You were too young to know that a downpour could be dangerous for his health – but he probably knew it, and he willingly took the risk anyway. Not very wise of him, actually…"_

"_How _dare_ you…" Monkey Fist began, enraged, then he trailed off – he had to admit that Sensei wasn't so far from the truth: like mother always said, his father was…irresponsible about some things "alright, maybe responsibility wasn't his strong point sometimes – but if it wasn't for me…"_

"_You're not going to tell me that you choose the day of your birth or that you can control weather, are you?" Sensei asked, a smile playing on his lips._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_What I'm trying to say is that you chose nothing. It's not your fault your father's lungs were weak; it's not your fault it was raining that day; it's not your fault he decided to get out anyway. He acted foolishly, and he paid dearly for his mistake."_

_Monkey Fist was trembling with rage now. "Stop speaking of him as if you knew him! You…you don't know how things went! You cannot–"_

"_Then enlighten me. Do you remember exactly what happened the day of your seventh birthday?"_

"_I…" Monkey fist paused, unsure. Truth to be told, he didn't really remember what had exactly happened that day – he knew he had insisted for his father to bring him to London, that he had accepted…and that barely three weeks later Lord Matthew Fiske was in his deathbed – the harsh, wheezing sound of his last breaths still echoed in his mind sometimes – and his mother was a broken woman. It had been his fault – what else did he need to remember?_

_Sensei smiled slightly at him, as if he could read his thoughts. "There's only one way to find out, isn't it?"_

_He shook his head. "Meditation won't help me. I already tried–"_

"_This time it is different. You're not blindly looking for a clue in your memory anymore – now you know what you need to remember." _

"_It will just be a waste of time."_

"_We have all the time we need, I think. Let's make a deal," Sensei finally said "if I'm right, you will have to process how your father's death affected your life and choices – while if you're right and his death was actually your fault, I will not insist for you to do so. Deal?"_

_Monkey Fist hesitated for a few moments._

"_Just give it a try – I'm sure you'll soon find out how blind you've been. All this years you've blamed yourself for nothing."_

_The monkey man stared at him for a few moments, startled by how confident Sensei sounded. Could it really be? Had he really blamed himself for a death he wasn't responsible for?_

_Slowly, he nodded._

"_Deal."_

* * *

**Castle Fiske, England, November 1974**

"I'm not sure it is a good idea, Milord..." Bates said nervously, looking around as if he feared for some kind of monster to just jump out of nowhere.

"Nonsense, Bates. We'll be back before she comes back from Lady Millburn's estate – she will never know about this little…misdeed."

Clearly oblivious of his faithful butler's concern, Matthew Fiske turned to his son, who was putting up his coat "Montgomery, are you ready?"

"Yes!" the little boy rushed to his father's side, so excited that he it looked like he just couldn't stay still.

"Maybe I should come with you, Milord – just in case…"

He stopped as his master waved dismissively. "Don't worry, Bates, it will be alright. Montgomery and I need some father-son bonding time, after all – which occasion could ever be better his birthday?"

"Uhu…father?" Monty called him, suddenly sounding much less excited than before, his eyes fixed on the door.

"Not now, Montgomery…besides" Lord Fiske gave the butler a quick wink "it can't just let this chance to drive the new car pass by, can I?"

"Father…?" Monty called again, this time with a clear trace of concern in his voice. However, both adults ignored him.

Bates held back a sigh, seeming twice as nervous as before at the thought of his master driving – especially while it was raining so hard. There was a good reason why Milady wouldn't let him put his hands on the new car – the concept of 'safe driving' seemed to be like rocked science to Lord Fiske: incomprehensible. The thought of the young sitting on the passenger seat didn't make him feel any better.

He dropped his shoulders in defeat. "Of course…you know what's best, Milord."

Matthew Fiske was about to say something as he felt his son pulling his sleeve.

"Father…" he whined again.

"Montgomery, what did I always tell you? Do not interrupt while I'm speaking with–"

"_Matthew."_

The sound of a feminine, icy voice suddenly cut him off, making him feel like the temperature of the room had suddenly dropped. He swallowed as Bates quickly left the room mumbling something about dinner and looked down at his son, who shrugged as if to say 'I tried to warn you.' Lord Fiske made a mental note of paying more attention to whatever Montgomery would try to tell him in the future and turned to face his wife.

She was standing on the doorway, her hands on her hips. Her blue eyes were narrowed, and on her face there was a quite disturbing fake smile she wore when she was really tempted to strangle someone. Usually her husband.

"Mary!" Matthew Fiske waved enthusiastically at her as if she hadn't just caught him red-handed "what a…pleasant...surprise."

His voice gradually lost its enthusiasm as her fake smile turned in a frown. He shifted slightly under her gaze, like a kid caught with his hands in the candy jar, and pointed to Monty – who was literally hiding behind him, waiting for the storm to begin.

"So," Mary said, her voice deadly quiet "care to explain me what do you think you're doing?"


	26. Family portrait

_Author's notes: I guess I could write a book about it – When a Chapter Just Writes Itself. Seriously, I just began typing a few words and the rest of the chapter began writing itself: it felt like minutes, and it was already longer than any other chapter in the story XD_

_The flashback scene to Monty's childhood is waaay longer than it was originally meant to be – but it came out so naturally and it was so fun to write that I couldn't bring myself to cut it. Maybe I should have, but I couldn't. I have no will, people, that's the painful truth. Deal with it XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**Castle Fiske, England, November 1974**

"Why didn't you warn me?"

"I tried, but you just wouldn't listen…"

"You could have tried to get my attention."

"I called for you and pulled your sleeve," the boy said defensively "what else could I have done?"

"Next time try kicking me. Or stomping on my foot, that should work."

"If you insist…"

"Excuse me," Mary's voice interrupted them, and both father and son immediately turned back to her "in case you haven't noticed, I'm _still_ in this room. And, if you don't mind, I'm _still_ waiting for an answer. Matthew?" she said, looking at her husband and completely ignoring her son for now. Monty breathed a little easier, still half hidden behind his father.

Lord Fiske took a deep breath. Alright, it wasn't the end of the world: he just had to find some argument to reassure his wife they weren't going to do anything wrong.

"Fine," he said, holding up his hands "now, before you get angry…"

Mary raised an eyebrow. "Matthew?" she said, deadpanned.

"Yes?"

"I already _am_."

"Oh," Lord Fiske smiled weakly "er…_how_ angry?"

"_Very_ angry. You know, I do not appreciate when people lie to me – let alone my husband. I really hope you do have an _extremely_ good explanation about _why_ you were bringing Montgomery out of the castle with this weather even though I _expressly_ forbid you to do so."

"Uhu…" Matthew looked down at his seven years old son "any suggestion?"

"Any suggestion?" Monty repeated, looking at him as if he was completely nuts "you are the adult here!"

"Yes, but you are the cute little one. She might listen to you."

"Since when does she care about cute?"

Lord Fiske thought about it for a few moments. "Point taken," he said, then he turned to his wife "and…what if – 'if' being the key word here – I don't have such a good explanation?"

Mary shrugged. "In that case, I'd warmly suggest you to get ready to sleep on the couch for the rest of your life."

Matthew blinked. "On the couch? Why should I sleep on the couch when there are so many bedrooms in the castle?"

His wife just glared at him.

"Oh, right," he finally snapped his fingers "now I get it."

Now it was Monty's turn to be confused. "Get what?"

"We'll explain you when you're older," both adults said quickly, immediately turning their attention to each other again. Monty blinked, then he just shrugged. Alright, just another thing to add to his 'when I'll be older' list. It looked like his parents and Bates were going to have to explain him a lot of things later on.

"But don't worry, darling," Mary said casually "I'm sure you _do _have a good explanation," she paused and gave her husband the same smile a shark would give to a goldfish before swallowing him whole "don't you?" she finished, her eyes flashing briefly with…amusement?

Yes, amusement – the kind of amusement a cat gets when playing with a mouse.

He sighed. "You're loving it, aren't you?"

Mary gave him a very un-ladylike grin. "Sometimes I think you know me too well."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Of course I do – last time I checked I was you husband. Or maybe something did change in the last days that you didn't tell me about?"

She shrugged. "Maybe…" she said vaguely.

Lord Fiske seemed suddenly alarmed. "Wait…you _are_ joking, aren't you?"

His wife's grin turned into a laugh as she watched his concerned expression. "Being jealous?" she teased him.

"Who wouldn't be jealous with such a wonderful woman as his wife?"

It was true in a way – she was a beautiful woman, with ivory skin, heavy locks of brown hair and dark blue eyes – but her temper and attitude had always been enough to keep most men away from her. Needles to say, it had been her attitude that had first caught his attention. Most of high society had thought he had made a mistake when he had proposed her – especially since she did not have any royal title.

In his not-so-humble opinion, it had turned out to be the best mistake he had ever done in his whole life.

Mary's expression softened slightly. "Aw, that was really sweet from you…but I'm afraid it isn't going to help this time, dear," she smirked as he dropped his shoulders "nice try, though. Maybe you won't sleep on the couch for _that_ long."

He sighed. "Well…" he paused, then he brightened up as if a now idea had suddenly popped in his mind "alright, it was a mistake, but before you get really mad at me I just want to point out that wasn't my fault!" he suddenly grabbed Monty – who had followed the conversation with growing confusion – and pushed him forward, literally hiding behind him "it was his idea. He insisted to go – but you're not going to blame him, are you? I mean, it is his birthday after all…it's normal for children to get excited about such things…"

Mary sighed. "Especially _big_ ones," she said with a half smile.

Her husband blinked. "Excuse me?"

Mary just ignored him and looked down at her son. "Monty, it was you that insisted to go?" she asked quietly.

The little boy nodded, relieved that she hadn't called him with his full name like when she was really, really angry. "Yes. I just wanted…I thought…" he said uneasily, trying to find some excuse for himself.

She raised an eyebrow. "_And_ it was always you who suggested your father to take the new car?"

"Uh…no," Monty said truthfully, wondering what did the car have to do with the reason of the argument.

His mother turned her glance back to his father, who swallowed.

"So, you…uhu…you really heard…_everything_, didn't you?" he said, grinning nervously and mentally cursing his loose talk. Why did he _have _to say everything to Bates with his wife just a few steps from them?

"Yes, I did. So it's not only about Monty's birthday – you were looking for a good excuse to put your hands on the new car," she put her hands on her hips "Matthew Fiske, you're _officially_ in trouble now. And about you, Monty…"

The little boy swallowed, waiting for her to say he was grounded for life or something close.

"Go to get you scarf and gloves," she folded her arms and gave a critical glance to his shoes "and your rain boots, too. You don't actually think you're getting out like that with such a weather, are you?"

Monty blinked. "You're letting us go then?" he barely dared to hope.

She turned to her husband again. "Two conditions," she said sternly before he could even speak "I'm coming with you, and _I'm_ going to be the one behind the wheel – I don't want our son to spend his birthday in the hospital."

"Aw, come on! I'm not _that_ bad at driving…"

Both Mary and Monty glared at him.

"Well, I _did_ get better since last time," Matthew said defensively, folding his arms and pretended to be offended.

"Last time you almost got yourself and Bates killed, so forgive me if I don't feel like letting you drive with Monty on the passenger seat…"

He sighed. "Point taken."

"Fine. I'll deal with you later anyway, I'm not going to ruin Monty's birthday because of your irresponsibility," Mary finally smiled and ruffled her son's hair "now go to get ready. I don't have all day."

"Yes!"

Weeks later, while holding her husband's hand in his deathbed, she would have regretted dearly that moment of weakness. She had been worrying for his son's safety, and she hadn't though for a single moment that the rain and the cold might damage Matthews' health instead. He had always looked so healthy that she had never suspected anything could be wrong with him

But right now she couldn't know that they had a little more than three weeks left together, and she just smiled as the little boy – _her_ little boy – rushed out of the room in excitement.

As she turned to her husband, she couldn't help but laugh as she saw the pout on his face. He looked like a kid who had been forbidden to play with his favorite toy. "You know," she said as she left the room to get her own coat "that pout might have just saved you from the couch."

Lord Matthew Fiske chuckled softly. "Mary?" he called.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

* * *

"_Looks like I was right then – you did very little to convince him to get out. I guess you could say he was the one to drag everyone out," Sensei chuckled "how do you feel now?"_

_Monkey Fist took a deep breath and looked down at his hands – they were shaking. "I…I don't know," answered truthfully. He honestly didn't know how he should feel: part of him felt relieved now that he knew it hadn't been his fault after all, as if a terrible weigh had just been lifted from his shoulders. But on the other hand…_

_Monkey Fist closed his eyes and rested his back against the wall. He hadn't let himself think about his parents in years; and now the memory he had brought to surface had been so vivid, so tangible, so real...it had been like reliving it all over again, and now that it was gone he felt like he had lost them once again._

"_I have to thank you, I guess – I would still be carrying that weight if it wasn't for you."_

"_I something wrong?" Sensei asked quietly._

"**I just can't believe you threw away a portrait of your family to put some monkey picture in its place,"**_Yuki's voice echoed somewhere in_ _his mind._

_"Nothing. Everything," Monkey Fist let out a heavy sigh, a dull pain in his chest "what would they think of me now?" he asked, feeling a deep sense of shame and failure over his own behavior. He had asked himself that question before, but he had always been quick to push it back in the depths of his minds, refusing to look for an answer._

_And now that same question was haunting him like never before._

_Sensei thought for a moment before answering slowly. "I think they would be pained to see what you've let yourself become. It would sadden them to see how much you're suffering for your own actions. But," his expression softened slightly "I think they would be proud to see how you're doing now."_

"_I'm doing nothing to be proud of."_

"_You accepted to live while death seemed the easier solution, and you're willingly getting through a painful process in order to redeem yourself instead of just mourning over what's done. Not everyone would have found the strength to do the same," he paused "I know they would be proud of you because I would be."_

_A small smile formed on Monkey Fist's lips. "You kind of dragged me along the way."_

_Sensei shrugged, waving his hand dismissively. "Let's just say I gave you the right input to take some decisions – but the rest of the work has been up to you. I couldn't really force you to do anything."_

"_I still wonder why doing this," Monkey Fist finally opened his eyes to look at him "if you really couldn't just let me die, you could have called Possible and Stoppable to hand me over to Global Justice – I had broken the law, after all. You could make sure I would rot in jail for the rest of my life; you have enough connections to do that. Why did you choose to keep me here instead?"_

"_What do you think you would have done with yourself if you were to, as you said, 'rot in jail'?"_

"_I…" Monkey Fist paused, unsure – he had never thought about that._

"_You would have just let yourself die in a dim cell, or else spent your life just loathing yourself without actually trying to face what you have done…wouldn't you?"_

_There was a brief silence._

"_Yes," Monkey Fist said slowly "that's probably what I would have done."_

_Sensei nodded, satisfied. "As you can see now, jail wouldn't have been a good solution for you. Just locking you away wouldn't have been an appropriate punishment, nor it would have helped you on the right track. Speaking of which, you still have some way to go. You do remember our deal, don't you? I want you to remember everything about your father's death – every thought that crossed your mind, every emotion you felt back then must be brought back on the surface," Sensei paused "it's not going to be easy," he said almost sympathetically as he got up from his sitting position on the ground._

"_I'll make it through," Monkey Fist's voice sounded shallow and emotionless for he was desperately trying to keep his mind blank to not think about the task ahead of him._

"_I'm sure you will. I suggest you to get some rest now – you will need every inch of your strength and concentration tomorrow," the old man said, handing him a mug filled with what looked like some kind of infusion "drink it while it's still hot and don't mind the taste."_

_Monkey Fist merely nodded and took the mug, gratefully gulping down whatever drug Sensei had brought him – it didn't matter as long as it helped him to sleep. Right now, he was just yearning for oblivion and peace, that little of peace that he could find in a dreamless sleep._

_As he finished to drink he put the mug on the floor again, and Sensei chuckled as he saw his expression. "Yes, I know it tastes awful – but it works quickly and leaves your mind clear in the morning. You should try to sleep without that sooner or later though."_

"_I know," Monkey Fist blinked, feeling a little dizzy already as soothing warmth seemed to spread all the way though his body "please, it's just…just until…" he already found it difficult to put his thought into words._

"_Until nightmares are gone?" Sensei asked quietly, helping him to lie down on the mattress. The old man smiled – Monkey Fist still had no idea that it hadn't been the drug to chase his nightmares away a few nights back, and maybe he would never know. He wondered if Yuki would accept to stay with him through the night again._

"_Yes. Until they will stop…to haunt me," Monkey Fist slurred as a blanket was laid across his back. His mind was already swirling and the room was fading. Every sound seemed barely more than a fain buzzing now; even his own voice seemed distant. He felt like a hole had just opened beneath him; he just closed his eyes and willingly let himself fall into darkness._


	27. Worth it

Author's notes: yup, another update. And I had promised to update my B:TAS fic before...did I ever tell you I just have no will?

Anyhoo, here's the new chapter. I decided to take a break with the previous ones and to give some more space to Yuki. This fic is turning out to be waaay longer than I ever expected XD

Enjoy!

* * *

_The room was completely silent except for Monkey Fist's slow, regular breathing. He was lying on his stomach, his head resting on his right arm, his eyes peacefully closed – for once his sleep seemed undisturbed._

_"I wonder what in the world I'm doing here," Yuki grumbled to herself, trying to not look at the sleeping monkey man._

_Yes, what was the point in staying anymore? It was clear that he was doing perfectly fine without her aid. She should just leave – it would have been the most logic thing to do, especially considering that all she needed right now was to just forget him._

_Too bad, she already knew she wouldn't leave him alone now._

_She had never been Miss Logic, after all._

_Yuki gave a frustrated sigh and glanced at his sleeping form, an odd rage building in her as she watched him sleep – it took all her self control to not shake him awake and yell at him. How did he DARE being so peaceful while she felt so torn about her decision?_

_He had been the one to mess things up, after all! How could he –_

_"**I could hear him sobbing through the door – he called for you a couple of times…he kept saying he was sorry."**_

_Yuki sighed as the words Yori had said that afternoon echoed in her mind, her rage subsiding a little. Things were not easy on him either, she thought. He was paying for his mistakes, and he was paying dearly. There was no point in taking away from him that little of peace he had left in his sleep, even though she had to admit that it was rather tempting –_

_"…Yuki…?"_

_Yuki's heart skipped a beat as he heard a groggy, yet familiar voice weakly calling for her. She turned to see that Monkey Fist's eyes were now open, staring at her in the dim light. She froze, not knowing what to do or say, her heart thundering in her chest._

_"Yuki…" he repeated in a whisper, but he did not move – he just reached for her, his hand quivering in mid-air as he kept staring blankly at her, and Yuki finally noticed how glazed his eyes were. He was awake, but at the same time he was not. His mind was still dazed from the drug, and he could not tell reality from dream._

_She needed to put him to sleep again before he could realize he wasn't dreaming._

_"Hush," she whispered gently, taking his outstretched hand in hers "it's just a dream, Monty. Nothing but a dream."_

_Her touch seemed to calm him down. "I'm sorry," he slurred, fighting to keep his eyes open "I'm sorry…"_

_Yuki took a deep breath. "I know you are," she said quietly, her other hand gently stroking his cheek as she whispered in his ear "it's alright, Monty…it's alright. Now close your eyes – nothing's going to happen, I promise."_

_She gave a sigh of relief as his eyes closed again and his hand went limp in hers. This had been close – she was going to have to tell Sensei to be more careful with the drugs he gave him._

_Thankfully he had fallen asleep again, and should he ever remember about what had happened he would most likely think it had been just a dream._

_This thought saddened her somehow. She glanced down at his hand, her finger gently tracing his palm, a small sad smile playing on her lips as bittersweet memories began flowing in her mind._

* * *

"You know, this is getting on my nerves," Yuki said with a frown as Monkey Fist barely dodged her kick.

"Excuse me?"

"You're holding back," she said, easily blocking his half-hearted blow "again. Are you suddenly afraid I'm going to break like a China doll or something?" she asked, somehow frustrated. What was wrong with him now?

"I am not –"

"Yes, you definitely are. Either that, or you've become too old to fight," she taunted him "pick one."

Yuki crouched and spun, trying to kick him, but he jumped back just in time. "Well, I might be holding back…" he said quietly as she threw a punch at him.

She was caught by surprise as he moved quickly to grab her wrist in mid-air and used her forward momentum to turn and flip her over his back.

Yuki let out a small yelp of surprise as her back met the ground with a dull thud. Before she could focus enough to get up again and attack, Monkey Fist had already grabbed both her wrists and pinned her on the spot.

"…or maybe," he sneered down at her "I might be merely waiting for your guard to drop before making my move."

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Looks like the concept of 'fair fight' is way beyond your comprehension…"

Monkey Fist shrugged. "Actually, it's not. I just chose to ignore it."

She rolled her eyes. "I see," she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice, still she couldn't help but smirk by how…familiar the whole situation felt.

"Monty…you do remember what happened last time you pinned me like this, don't you?" she asked, a small smile playing on her lips.

He blinked a couple of times, then he chuckled. "Indeed," he said, thinking back at Yuki's highly irregular move "but you know, some details are a kind of blurry. Care to remind me?"

Yuki shrugged – as much as you can shrug while lying flat on your back with your hands pinned to your chest. "Why not?" she said, smirking inwardly and getting ready to flip him onto his back once again as son as his grip on her wrists loosened.

Could he really be so naïve to fall in the same trick twice? And this time she was going to have him begging before ever letting him up.

However, every thought of getting him back for his trick seemed to vanish as his mouth came down to hers, claiming her lips in a deep kiss. As his grip on her wrists loosened, Yuki couldn't bring herself to break the kiss. She just wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back as if there was no tomorrow.

She was panting softly as their lips finally broke apart.

"You know," he said, raising an eyebrow and he looking down at her "I was sure you would have tried to pin me on the ground or something close while I was…distracted."

"The thought kind of crossed my mind," Yuki admitted, grinning up at him "I just…changed my mind. You took a great risk though," she joked.

"It was worth it," he said smugly, reaching to brush a few strands of hair away from her face.

She rolled her eyes. "I see. Let me up, will you?"

He stood up and offered her his hand. She stood up by herself, and Monkey Fist flinched as Yuki took his hand in her small ones, focusing all her attention on his genetic mutation for the first time.

Monkey Fist took a sharp breath as she gently caressed the hairy back of his hand with her thumb. Nobody had ever touched his hands like this – not after the mutation, however: people would just stare at his monkey hands and feet either with fear or disgust.

Not that he cared about anyone's opinion, of course, but having someone willingly caressing his monkey hands was quite a change. A very good one, indeed.

"How about this?" Yuki asked quietly, her thumb still stroking the back of his hand.

He frowned slightly, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Was it worth it?" she asked, her gaze still fixed on his genetically modified hand.

That was about the last question Monkey Fist expected her to ask. Nobody had ever asked him that question either – people would most likely ask him if he was nuts or if he didn't think he was aiming too low in the evolutionary scale.

But no one had ever asked him if it had been worth it. Not _ever_.

There was a brief silence, both of them staring at his monkey hand. Of course it had been worth it – the change had been uncomfortable and slightly painful, and it had taken him a while to get used to his new hands and feet…still it was only a small sacrifice in his quest to become the Ultimate Monkey Master.

But this wasn't something he could tell her, was it?

"Yes," he said slowly, "in a way, I think it was worth it."

She glanced up at him questioningly, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest as he saw how suspicious she looked. Of course, he mused bitterly, she would never be able to trust him completely – no matter how much she wanted to.

"In a way?" she repeated. Monkey Fist forced himself to look into his eyes, trying to ignore the pain he felt every time he thought about how he was going to break her heart.

"Yes," he said, carefully choosing his words – he had to be careful with what he told her "it is a reminder."

"A reminder?"

"Yes," he said quietly, and it took him all his will to not turn away from her as he spoke next "besides, you wouldn't be here if I hadn't…you know…" it was becoming difficult even to speak now. Yuki seemed to understand.

"It must have been painful," she said, changing topic.

"Yes. No." he gave a weak smile as Yuki raised an eyebrow "maybe a little."

"A little?"

"A ninja doesn't complain, remember?"

"You have a point."

Monkey Fist just fell silent and turned away his gaze as Yuki pressed his hand against her cheek.

"How much time?" she asked quietly, still holding his hand against her skin.

He bit his lower lip. "Three days," he said reluctantly.

There was a heavy silence, them both thinking about what it meant.

Just three days. Three days before the storm would subside.

Three day before she would leave.

_Three days before I lose her forever._

"Monty?" Yuki called softly, letting his hand go.

"Yes?" he turned back to her, and he was caught by surprise as she suddenly hugged him, hiding her face against his shoulder "…what…?"

"Just hold me now," she whispered, shaking slightly against him "keep me close and hold me."

Monkey Fist just stood there for a few moments, bewildered, then he held her back and began rubbing her back in long, slow strokes. He knew he should have told her something, anything to make her stop trembling like that – but he suddenly felt so tired, and he felt like he couldn't lie anymore for now.

He just hid his face in her hair, closed his eyes and held her tight as the storm outside slowly began to lose some of its forcefulness.

* * *

_Yuki yawned, feeling incredibly tired – which was no wonder since she had been up the whole night, holding Monkey Fist's hand as he slept. Now she could faintly ear the students getting ready for the training, which meant it was dawn already._

_It was time for her to leave. She gently put down Monkey Fist's hand, her eyes lingering on his features for a few more moments as she gently brushed a wisp of hair from his face. She got up from her sitting position on the ground and stretched, and she took a sharp breath as she felt a flutter in her belly – it seemed that the baby had just decided it was time to say 'hi'._

_She couldn't help but smile slightly – the thought of becoming a mother still scared her, still…_

_A slight groan snapped her from her thoughts – Monkey Fist was beginning to stir._

_She had to leave now, though she suddenly found herself unwilling to do so. She opened the door, gave him one last glance and silently left the room, closing the door behind her._


	28. Nothing but a dream

Author's notes: yup, another chapter. You have to thank VampireNaomi for this - I would still be stuck with the first few sentences if it wasn't for her advice XD

I was originally going to include Monty's childhood flashback in this chapter, but I eventually decided against it when I noticed I would have had to cut part of it to avoid making this chapter two times longer than the others. Beside, its content was too different from the rest of the chapter - I felt like it had no place here. I think the next chapter is going to be completely about that episode, for it turned out to be waaay longer than it was originally meant to be. As usual XD

...I think some of you are seriously going to hate Monty after this chapter. Oh, well - I told you he was a jerk to Yuki at some point, didn't I XD

Enjoy!

* * *

_"Yuki-sempai?" Yori called as Yuki stormed past her, a troubled expression on her face "Yuki-sempai, are you –"_

_The sound of a door slamming closed was the only answer she got._

_"…alright," the girl sighed. Wonderful, so she was on one of those moods again – and it was barely dawn. Yori wondered what could have happened to trigger such a reaction so early in the morning._

_"Is there a problem?" Hirotaka asked, stepping beside her._

_"Yuki-sempai is upset. Again."_

_Hirotaka shrugged "Nothing new under the sun, then," he said, trying to make Yori relax a little – she seemed to be worrying too much lately "she'll get over it, as usual."_

_Yori nodded. "I guess you're right. Let's go, we're late for the training."_

_As they passed by, they didn't notice Sensei silently gazing at Yuki's the door. It looked like his plan had worked – and that was good, for he wasn't really eager to do that again. It had taken hours to understand exactly how much drug he had to give to Monkey Fist in order to keep his mind dazed instead of having him waking up completely at some point._

_It had been risky, of course, but it had been worth it. He hadn't really wanted to push things like this, but there wasn't much time left. The end of Monkey Fist's journey was approaching, and Yuki still couldn't make up her mind._

_He just hoped that having to face him while awake…well, half-awake would have been enough to help Yuki understand what she really wanted, and maybe she could decide to give him a second chance._

* * *

_Monkey Fist leaned against the wall and closed his eyes again, the confused images of his dream still wandering in the back of his mind. He stared at the opposite wall, trying to focus as many details as he could of his dream._

_He could vaguely remember he had seen Yuki sitting near to him, so close that he could almost touch her. He had tried to reach for her, to tell her how sorry he was, and she…_

_Monkey Fist let out a groan and took held his head in his hands – everything felt so dazed and confused! He could faintly remember he had reached for her, and…and…_

_Had she reached for him as well, or had she just looked at him with the same burning hate he had seen in her eyes that day in the cave temple?_

_He shut his own eyes tightly, trying to remember. Yes, he seemed to recall that she had grasped his hand. She hadn't glanced at him in disgust or hate – she had taken his hand in hers and she had said something…something that had comforted him greatly, but he couldn't recall her words. He felt like the memory was just beyond his reachm, and the thought was maddening._

_"This is ridicolous," he hissed to himself. It had been nothing but a dream anyway – it was nothing real. Yuki was gone, everything he had seen was a vision created by his mind._

_Then why did he feel like remembering what his vision had said was the most important thing in the world now?_

_He tried again to remember, and this time a faint, somewhat comforting whisper echoed somewhere in his mind._

"**It's alright, Monty…"**

* * *

"…**it's alright."**

_Yuki shook her head, as if to chase away her own words from her mind. It had been a lie – nothing was alright, not to her. What the hell was wrong with her? How could she still love him after everything he had done? Why couldn't she just hate him?_

_She had every right to hate him, after all. It was easy to apologize after the damage had been done, wasn't it? He had used her. He had lied to gain her trust and then he had betrayed her, in more ways than one._

_And, of course, there was the little detail that he had almost got her killed two months before, in the cave temple in which he the Obsidian Monkey's left arm was hidden – and not only by triggering the trap that had almost costed both their lives: when they had fought, there was something in him that had truly frightened her, even though she would never admit it._

_For a few moments she had been terrified by him, by the madness she had seen in his eyes. She could have sworn he was ready to kill her to get what he wanted, ready to destroy anything standing between the mystical item and him without a hint of hesitation._

_He was nothing like the man she had known, nothing like the man she had loved – the man she still loved despite everything. And what he had said to her when she had confronted him…_

_Yuki groaned as he remembered what he had told her._

"**Did you actually think you could mean anything to me in my quest to get what's rightfully mine?" **_he had sneered at her_ **"you poor little fool. You were nothing but a worthless pawn in my plan since the beginning – I wanted your trust, and I obtained it effortlessly. I must admit you surprised me in a way – I'd never thought things would have gone so far. How dishonourable, a ninja willingly giving herself to an enemy…" **

_Yuki shook her head again, trying to chase away the memory, tears forming behind her closed eyelids. Why had he told her that? He didn't really mean what he had said; now she knew that. But back then she had believed the lie he was trying to feed to her and himself, and she had felt like her soul was being ripped apart._

_She had completely snapped then, driven by a mixture of pain and rage that hadn't subsided even when she had finally awakened from her unconscious state, a couple of days after the whole accident – the first thing she had asked as soon as she had known he was alive and recovering there as well had been to be brought where he was to deal with him personally._

_Sensei hadn't argued at all: he had quietly agreed to bring her to the room where he was recovering._

_Her rage had faded…well, subsided against her own will when she had seen him for the first time after the accident in the cave temple. Yuki hadn't been able to say a word – all she could do was to stare at Monkey Fist. He seemed the portrait of misery right now: he was lying on a mattress, unconscious, white bandages covering most of his upper body. He was shivering despite the warmth of the room, his face drenched with sweat, and he kept tossing and turning restlessly in his sleep._

_He was nothing but a pitiful mockery of his former self._

_"I think he's already getting his proper punishment, don't you?"Sensei had said quietly, intently studying her expression._

_She had hesitated, her eyes still fixed on Monkey Fist. "I…I guess…" she had tried to speak, but her mind was blank. Despite her anger towards him, she couldn't help but feel something else – pity. She had shaken her head somewhat angrily – how could she feel pity for a man who had heartlessly used her?_

_"He keeps pleading death to come for him. Maybe we should just accomplish his wish and put an end to his misery."_

_"What?" Yuki had turned to Sensei, utterly confused, and her eyes had widened as she had seen he was handing her a knife._

_"You said you wanted to deal with him yourself, didn't you?" he had asked serenely, still handing her the knife "he's still alive because of you. You can end his life here and now if you want to. No one will argue."_

_Yuki had taken a step back, staring at the knife as if it was he most horrible thing she had ever seen in her life. "I will never do a such thing!" she had exclaimed, cringing at the thought and not noticing how Monkey Fist had whimpered in his sleep, as if reacting to the sound of her voice._

_"But you said he was willing to kill you to get what he wanted," the old man had pointed out "why should you hold back?"_

_"I'm not like him," Yuki had snapped. How could Sensei even suggest her to do something like that? Killing was against everything he had always taught her to believe in._

_Much to her surprise Sensei had smiled warmly, putting away the knife. "No, you're not like him – you have far more common sense than he does. I'm glad you didn't let your rage blind you."_

_Yuki had sighed, both relieved and annoyed to know that Sensei had only wanted to test her. She had turned her gaze back on Monkey Fist. "What about him now?" she had asked coldly, trying to sound like she didn't care._

_"Let's just say I have some plans for him. He's going to stay here until he's fully recovered."_

_Yuki had grimaced. "I don't think I can stand his presence for so long."_

_"You don't have to worry about that – you won't have to meet him at all. He must not know you're alive."_

_She had blinked, speechless. "You mean…he thinks I'm dead?" she had asked, bewildered._

_"Yes. He thinks he killed you," Sensei had given her an odd smile "why do you think he does wish to die?"_

* * *

_Sensei wasn't surprised to see that Monkey Fist was already awake, nor it surprised him that he didn't seem to acknowledge his presence as he got inside the room. He was staring blankly at the wall, lost in his thoughts – and Sensei had a good guess about what he was thinking about: no matter how dazed his mind have been the night before, he had most likely caught some glimpses of Yuki._

_Too bad he couldn't question him, for it would have been too suspicious – he wasn'r supposed to know what he had 'dreamed', after all. He cleared his throat, and Monkey Fist immediately snapped out of his thoughts to look at him._

_"Did you have a quiet sleep?" Sensei asked, placing a bowl in front of him._

_Monkey Fist nodded absentmindedly. "Yes," he said quietly, his gaze distant and unfocused "I did."_

_Sensei just nodded, smiling inwardly. It looked like he was right – whatever had happened the previous night between Yuki and him, it was clear that he still had some memory of it._

_"Fine then," he simply said "glad to know you did rest well – it will help you to focus on your task."_

_The monkey man let out a groan at the thought. Needless to say, the idea of re-living the memory of his father's death was less than attractive to him. To be perfectly blunt, it chilled his bones._

_"Do I really have to?" he asked though knowing the answer, his voice shaking ever so slightly._

_"Yes. I know it isn't easy, but it is extremely important. But not now," Sensei said, gesturing to the bowl on the floor "you have to eat something first."_

_Monkey Fist shook his head. "I don't feel like eating now."_

_"That was an order," Sensei said somewhat sternly "we both know you lose track of time while wandering in your mind – you might not snap out of your trance until tonight, and you can't stay without eating until then."_

_Monkey Fist had to admit he had a point – as usual. He unwillingly took the bowl and began to stuff the food in his mouth, not even minding what he was eating. There was a long silence as he ate._

_"Fine," Sensei finally said as Monkey Fist unwillingly put down the empty bowl and turned to face him again "it is time."_

_The monkey man still seemed unsure. It must have been really terrible for him if he hesitated so much to re-live that experience, Sensei mused._

_"This is the last time you'll have to dig in your memory," he said quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder "I promise."_


	29. One last sunset

_Author's notes: looks like I was right - this chapter is completely about Monty's flashback, for it turned out to be much, much longer than it was supposed to be. Sigh...I really, really didn't want it to happen. Man, I had never felt THAT bad writing a chapter before. I believe this one is like...the saddest I've ever written. It's going to be our last peek in Monty's childhood anyway - then back to the main plot. _

_Enjoy._

* * *

**Castle Fiske, England, November 1974**

Even though Milady's nature had always managed to remain a mystery to most people, there were two things about her that Bates had learned over the years.

First of all, she loved her husband and son, whole-heartedly and unconditionally – almost fiercely, indeed. Should anything ever threaten her family, Bates knew without a shadow of doubt that she could have killed without a second thought in order to keep her loved ones safe.

The second one was that she liked being in control: one of the things she hated the most was being powerless, unable to change things.

Therefore, he was now sure fate couldn't have been crueler to her: her husband was dying, and there was nothing she could do about it besides raging against doctors – and it seemed to have become her favorite pastime lately, at least judging from what he could hear coming from outside his dying master's room.

"Let me guess," Lord Fiske said weakly from the bed, a small smile playing across his lips despite his conditions "Mary is trying to bite off my poor colleague's head, isn't she?"

"Well…" Bates hesitated: truth to be told, 'biting off his head' really came close to describe what Milady was doing to the last doctor who had tried to convince her that there was nothing to do for her husband and that he only had a few days, maybe hours left to live. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor man – but there was no way he would speak with such trivial terms about the behavior of his master's wife.

"She's…quite upset, I think."

Matthew Fiske gave an odd rasping sound, and Bates couldn't tell if he was coughing or chuckling. Maybe both.

"Which means she is biting his head off," he said with a small grin, then he coughed again "Bates, I need you to go to tell Mary there's no use raging like that – my colleague is right, there's nothing that can be done. I should know. Tell her to leave that poor fellow alone and come here to bite my head off, if she wants to hurt a doctor so badly," he chuckled again.

"Of course, Milord," he said. He wasn't exactly dying to confront Milady, but if it was what his master wanted, he would do it – not with the same words he had used, of course. He would just say her husband wished to see her, trying his best to avoid her gaze. He turned to leave, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks and uneasily turned back to his master.

"What's that, Bates?"

"I…" Bates swallowed "permission to speak freely, Milord?"

"Of course, my friend. Go ahead."

"I wish to thank you for being a good master to me, Milord. Serving you has been one of my greatest honors."

"My, I'm moved," Lord Fiske smiled, though his eyes slightly damp "I have been lucky to have you at my service," he coughed again "I have to ask you two more things, before I'm gone, Bates."

"Anything, Milord."

"Take care…of everything that needs to be taken care of. Mary wouldn't manage to organize a funeral right now," he paused "er…make sure to not put me anywhere near Aunt Mabel, though. Honestly, I wouldn't want to stand her company until the Judgment Day. I might not be a saint, but I don't think Lucifer himself would ever deserve a such punishment."

Bates allowed himself to smile slightly – he had no troubles to understand what he meant: Mabel Fiske's sour temper was almost a legend.

"Of course. Anything else?"

"Yes," Lord Fiske stared at him straight in his eyes. They both knew it was a matter of hours before he would give his last breath, but Matthew wasn't worried for himself – not nearly as much as he was worried for his wife and son. "Take care of both of them. It's the greatest favor you could ever do for me."

"I will, Milord."

"Thank you, Bates. Now, please, go to save poor doctor Wilson from my wife's clutches. I wouldn't want you to have to organize more funerals than it's necessary."

As the butler left the room, Matthew Fiske let out a sigh and closed his eyes. Breathing was quickly becoming more and more difficult – maybe he didn't even have an hour left to live. He felt a sting of regret for not asking Bates to call Montgomery as well – the thought he could leave without even say goodbye to him was dreadful. It was already awful enough that he had to leave him while he was still so young: his greatest regret was that he would never see his boy grow up into a man. He wondered what he was doing right now – maybe Mary had put him to sleep already, or maybe…

"Father?"

Lord Fiske's eyes snapped open as he heard his son's voice somewhere at his left. He had to squint in the dim light to see his son standing near the closed curtains of the window, his shoulders trembling as if he was crying.

"Montgomery? What are you doing here? When did you get in?" he asked, worried that he could have heard his conversation with Bates – no father would ever want to speak about his own funeral in front of his young son.

Monty ignored his questions as he stepped forward, and Matthew could indeed see that he was crying silently. "It is my fault you're ill, isn't it?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"What?" Lord Fiske was shocked to say the least "of course it's not your fault! Why should you ever think something so foolish?"

His son seemed to ignore his words again. "But you're not leaving forever, are you?" the boy sniffled, trying to get a hold of himself and failing miserably "you're going to get better…right?" he glanced at him somewhat hopefully.

Lord Fiske sighed, a dull pain in his chest. That was the kind of speech no parent would ever want to give to his child. "I'm sorry, Monty – I'm not going to make it. Sometimes our bodies just stop working like they should, and it isn't always possible to make things alright again. We can only accept it. You do remember what happened to Uncle Maxwell last year, don't you?"

"But Uncle Max was old!" Monty protested, and Matthew was surprised to hear something very similar to rage in his voice. So like his mother, he mused. "You are not old! There is no reason…no reason why you…" a sob escaped from the young boy's lips, his whole body trembling.

How was he supposed to accept that? He had always looked up at his father, and he had always assumed he would be there for him, no matter what. Only three weeks ago he was perfectly fine – and now he was leaving both him and mother only because of some stupid lung infection or whatever it was called.

He was leaving them alone because he was too weak to fight for his life.

"Montgomery."

The sudden sternness in his father voice maybe his sudden rage vanish in a moment.

"Do you think I would ever want to leave you and your mother?" Matthew asked, his voice now harsher. Monty swallowed and shook his head.

"I would never want to leave you, but this is not my decision to make – nobody can decide something like this. Do you understand what I mean?"

Monty nodded, suddenly ashamed by his outburst. His father's eyes softened again – he had never been good giving lectures, and he wouldn't start now. He turned to give a glance to the curtains, trying to change topic "Good boy. Now, why don't you pull back the curtains? I would love to see one last sunset, if the weather permits."

Monty nodded again, trying to dry his tears with his sleeve, and pulled back the curtains.

It was the most beautiful sunset Lord Matthew Fiske had seen in years, it truly was: the flaming red sun descending slowly into a flurry of purple clouds, beyond the wide orange horizon. He smiled slightly – life had given him much more than he could have ever asked for, and now he felt like that sunset was life's last gift for him. It could be worse, he mused.

"…Matthew?"

They both turned to see Mary standing in the doorway, her eyes swollen and reddened. Monty took a step back, somewhat terrified by how…lost she looked now. Monty would never forget the look of defeat on her face as she sat on the edge of the bed and took her husband's hand in her own.

Matthew held her hand back, pained to see how frail she seemed. Gone was the strong, proud woman who would always have her way, no matter what – her husband's upcoming death and her inability to change things had crushed her.

"No blood. Good, looks like you didn't rip poor doctor Wilson into shreds after all," he managed to smile, trying to cheer her up as much as he could.

Mary chocked back her tears, gently squeezing his hand. "You're always such a buffoon," she said, trying to smile back.

Lord Fiske was about to say he was being dead serious, but he decided against it – bad choice of words. He had always had a gift for saying the wrong thing in the wrong moment, and it usually amused Mary – but somehow he doubted it would amuse her now. He just gave her a sheepish smile. "Always scolding me, aren't you?"

"Only when you deserve it."

"I always deserve it," he pointed out, thinking of how many things he would never get to tell her – that he was sorry for leaving her so soon, that she needed to be strong for their son, that he had been the one to crush her Ming vase though he had let Monty take the blame…

"You have a point," Mary made an odd noise between a laugh and a sob, holding his hands so tight that Matthew was sure she was cutting off his circulation. Not that it mattered now.

He gestured to the window with his free hand. "Magnificent, isn't it?" he said, a broad smile forming on his face.

Mary nodded, a small smile on her lips despite the tears silently rolling down her cheeks as she followed his gaze. "Yes," she whispered, "it is."

"Montgomery," Matthew coughed and patted the spot next to him "come here."

The little boy climbed on the bed and curled between his parents. His father put his free arm around his shoulders, saying nothing as they gazed out of the window

_Yes_, Matthew Fiske thought as he held his son close to him and gently squeezed back his wife's hand, _it could be worse_.

As the sun finally disappeared behind the horizon, his breathing became more and more similar to a faint wheezing – and by the time stars began to blink from the darkening sky it had completely ceased.

* * *

"Yes, I have already informed his friends and relatives. Most of them should be here tomorrow morning already...tomorrow afternoon it is, then. My apologizes for calling you at home so late, Father Adams, but…yes, I know Lord Fiske was your friend – yes, a great man, indeed. Thank you, I appreciate it greatly – the sooner we take care of this, the better it is for his family. Yes, I have the key of the family cemetery – no, you don't need to do anything, I'll make sure everything is ready by tomorrow evening myself. Fine. Thank you."

Bates sighed as he hung the phone and glanced at the grandfather clock – it was almost midnight already, and Milady still refused to come out from her husband's room. He could understand the loss had crushed her, but now she was acting irrationally. Her husband was dead, and it was terrible – but her son was alive, and he needed his mother, more now than ever. The young butler mournfully shook his head and turned to the boy curled in the armchair in front of the fireplace.

That armchair had always been lord Fiske's favorite one, and the young sir would often climb up the armchair's back while his father was sitting there with the newspaper to take a peek of what he was reading from above his head – Lord Fiske would always pretend to be oblivious of his presence for a while, an amused smile playing across his lips, then he would say aloud that a birdie had told him there was a monkey perched above his head, causing the child to fall off laughing.

A bitter expression crossed Bates' features as he realized he would never again see that playful familiar scene.

He gazed at the small table near the armchair – the glass of milk had stayed untouched. The child had just given him an apathetic glance when he had tried to convince him to eat, or at least to drink something. He wouldn't even cry – he would just stay curled in the old armchair, unmoving, staring blankly at the fireplace. Bates had only gotten a slight response from him when he had laid a blanket across his shoulders to keep him warm: the boy had wrapped it tightly around himself and mumbled something that sounded slightly like a 'thank you' before falling silent again. If it wasn't for that short episode and his steady breathing, Bates couldn't have told if he was alive.

He was about to try to convince him to drink something again when he heard the door opening. He turned to see Mary Fiske getting inside the room in slow, steady steps, her eyes still reddened by her tears – but she wasn't crying anymore.

"Milady…" he said, a bit uneasily – it was the first time he had to face her from the moment in which he had brought the poor kid away from Milord's room, while she was too busy to mourn her husband's death to acknowledge his presence.

"You may go to sleep, Bates," she said, her voice still shaking slightly "you have done enough for tonight. Where is Monty?"

Bates gestured to the armchair where the boy was curled, completely oblivious of what was happening around him. "I tried to convince him to eat something, but–" he trailed off as she walked past him, not paying attention to what he was saying. Bates just sighed and silently left the room – there was nothing more he could do that night.

A single tear slid down Mary's face as she looked at Matthew's favorite armchair, but she managed to keep a hold of herself as she crouched next to her son. "Monty?" she called softly, her hand gently stroking his hair. The kid seemed to snap out of his trance and looked at his mother, looking slightly surprised. As much as she loved him, it had been years since his mother had stroked him like that, and he was no longer used to it. "Mother…?"

He had no time to say more as his mother grabbed him, chocking back her sobs. The boy could feel her tremble as she held him to her chest. The realization took some time to sink in his brain – his mother, the woman that could make any grown man cry like a baby with an icy glance and a snarky remark, was trembling and fighting to not burst into tears again.

"You're all that I've left now," she whispered in his ear.

Monty sniffled and hid his face on her shoulder, saying nothing. He wouldn't say another word until the next evening, after his father's funeral.

_"Life's not frail. Life is stronger than any other force. It's humans who are weak."_


	30. End of the storm, beginning of the end

Author's notes: wow, we're finally getting closer to the moment when the two timelines will meet up. In the original draft it should have happened about...nine chapters ago, but my mind just kept adding things I couldn't bring myself to leave out XD I really, really have no will.

Enjoy!

* * *

_"Here, drink something…slowly, you don't want to get sick, do you? Good. Now try to calm down and tell me what did you remember."_

_Monkey Fist took a deep, shaky breath as he closed his eyes. "Please," he whispered, though knowing it was useless "I'm not ready to speak about this. Not now."_

_Sensei just shrugged. "If not now, when?"_

_"I…" the monkey man paused, then he just sighed "you're not going to leave me alone until I tell you everything, are you?"_

_Sensei just shrugged. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."_

_Monkey Fist's eyes snapped open as he stared at the old man, startled. "I don't…?" he asked, surprised. Every time he had refused to remember something or share some memory, Sensei just wouldn't leave him alone until he finally spoke – why was he giving up so easily now?_

_"No, you don't have to tell me anything. Just answer two question and I'll leave you alone. How much time has passed since that day?"_

_Monkey Fist swallowed. "Thirty-four years," he said quietly, not getting where Sensei wanted to get._

_"And how many years have passed since he last time you spoke about it?"_

_There was a long, uneasy silence._

_"Ten years," Monkey Fist finally whispered. Sensei merely raised an eyebrow, and the younger man dropped his shoulders, too tired to lie anymore "alright…fifteen years. Since when my mother passed away," he said wearily._

_"You're lying."_

_Monkey Fist blinked caught by surprise by Sensei's sharp remark. "Excuse me?"_

_"You're lying. In thirty-four years, you have never really spoken with anyone about how your father's death changed you. Don't deny it, you know it is the truth – you never let anyone know how you actually felt back then: not even your mother, not even your most faithful servant…not even your closest friends, if you ever had any", he paused, then he struck the last blow "not even Yuki could ever know about how you actually felt about it. Why? Why did you keep a such weight on your shoulders?"_

_The monkey man closed his eyes. "Because it was a personal matter. Because it hurt too much. Because I thought it had been my fault. Because…" he gave a somehow frustrated sigh "nobody would understand."_

_"Your arrogance has no limits, I see. How typical of you, thinking nobody else but you could ever understand anything – especially when you're the first one who never understood what his death truly meant to you until now."_

_Monkey Fist blinked, bewildered. "I never…?"_

_Sensei ignored him as he got up and walked to the door. "Now, as I said, I'm leaving you alone. Looks like you don't have anything to tell me anyway, so I'd better get other matters done…"_

_"No, wait!"_

_The old man smiled slightly to himself as he turned to face Monkey Fist. "Changed your mind?"_

_"I…" Monkey Fist swallowed "I'll tell you what happened…I will. Just give me some time to…" he paused, unsure of what he could say next._

_"…to gather your thoughts?" Sensei asked quietly, intently looking at him. He could keep a hold on himself, but he looked terribly pale, and his hands were shaking slightly. Yes, he needed some time to recover from the shock of reliving a traumatic experience all over again before he was ready to process what had happened. "Alright then, you can take the time you need. Is there anything you need until you're ready?"_

_Monkey Fist nodded, relieved to see that Sensei seemed willing to give him some more time. "Yes," he said quietly "I wish to get out of here for a while. I need…I want to see how my monkey ninjas are doing."_

_Sense glanced at him, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected him to ask something like that – he hadn't showed much concern about his minions since when he had been told Yuki was expecting, too lost in his pain to bother much about them. Yet, the monkey ninjas were still waiting outside for their master, as loyal as ever. "They are fine," he said, still observing him "my students leave them food outside the school's walls every day."_

_"I know, but…please, let me see them," Monkey Fist paused and closed his eyes "they're all that I've left now," he whispered._

* * *

_Monkey Fist closed his eyes, enjoying the slight breeze against his face and the warmth of the sun on his skin. It was so different from the gray sky and the icy cold wind that had chilled him to his bones the first day he had been brought there…the day he had spent near Yuki's white tombstone, waiting for his own death._

_He opened his eyes, his gaze wandering on his surroundings. His monkey ninjas were in good health, and they seemed to be enjoying their unexpected holyday now that the weather was kinder. Everything had been covered in snow when he had come there – now the snow was slowly melting, revealing the ground beneath in some points._

_"It's the end of May now," Sensei said quietly, answering to his unexpressed question "you've been here for about two months."_

_"Two months already?" he asked, somewhat incredulous. Had two months already passed since the day he had done the worst mistake of his life?_

_"Yes. It seemed less to you because you've been unconscious most of the time the first two weeks," he paused "you had high fever, and for a while we thought you wouldn't make it. Spending a whole day outside in the snow, wounded as you were and with no protection against the wind almost costed you your life."_

_Monkey Fist gave joyless laugh. "That was my idea."_

_"A foolish idea."_

_"Indeed. But I was desperate," his gaze wandered to the horizon "sometimes I still think about it."_

_"About death?"_

_"Yes. I still think I should have been the one to die that day."_

_"But?"_

_"Maybe there is a reason why things didn't go that way," he sighed and shook his head "it's probably a foolish idea, but it helps thinking there might be a reason why I lived."_

_"As long as it helps, it's not that foolish."_

_Monkey Fist smiled slight. "I should have expected you to say something like this. My father would have said 'as long as it works, don't make questions'", he bit his lower lip, still gazing at the horizon. The sun was beginning to set already – he had been meditating most of the day. "You wanted me to tell you what happened the day he died," he said quietly, his eyes still fixed on the setting sun._

_"Do you feel ready to speak about it now?"_

_"I think so."_

_"Go ahead then," the old man said quietly. He stayed silent as Monkey Fist told him everything that had happened that day – he sometimes paused, a pained expression on his face, but he never stopped talking until he was finished, his gaze never leaving the setting sun._

_Sensei nodded slowly as Monkey Fist finished his tale. "I guess this explains quite a lot of things," he said serenely._

_"Yes, it does. I had never thought it could have been one of the reasons why I let my obsession get the better of me. God, how blind I've been!"_

_"You do see how his death helped you to get on the wrong path now, don't you?" the old man said, satisfied by how much he had changed in the last two months._

_"I was both pained and enraged," Monkey Fist said quietly "pained because of the loss, and enraged because I thought of death as a weakness. I thought my father had us alone because he was too weak to live – so unlike the monkeys I had seen holding life and death in their paws years before. So I began thinking of humans as weak, helpless creatures," he gave another weak smile "how am I doing?"_

_"You're doing good, indeed. Is there anything else?"_

_"I was also terrified," Monkey Fist added slowly "terrified by how frail my mother suddenly seemed. She never was the same again after that day – something in her had died as well. I didn't want to end up like her, and…I thought there was no point into getting attached to someone that would be taken from me anyway, so I tried to never get to care about anyone but myself. What a fool I've been!"_

_Sensei smiled warmly. "You've learned much about yourself in the past weeks," he said._

_Monkey Fist closed his eyes. "I only wish I had learned all this years ago," he said bitterly "I ended up destroying both my life and Yuki's. I should have understood that my greed would come around to punish me since when I ended up driving away from me somebody who had been by my side my whole life."_

_"Are you referring to your servant?"_

_"Yes," the monkey man said, thinking back at the look of pity Bates had given him the day he had left his service, breaking the promise he had done on his father's deathbed. He should have understood he was doing everything wrong the moment he had known that even his most loyal servant thought he was beyond help._

_"Just another of my many mistakes," he said, a bitter expression on his face._

_"There's no use in crying on spilled milk. People learn by mistaking – just learn your lesson and go on."_

* * *

Yuki shut her eyes tighter, annoyed by the light pouring from the window. They should have closed the curtains the day before – there are a few things as annoying as the sunlight on your face while you're trying to –

Her chain of thoughts abruptly stopped as the realization sank in.

_Sunlight_.

The storm was over.

Her eyes snapped open, and she felt like her heart had just been carved out her chest as she saw the beautiful sunny weather outside. Heart-breaking wasn't usually a sensation you would associate to a beautiful day like that, but this wasn't an ordinary sunny day either. Now that the storm had subsided, it was time for her leave. She would go back to Yamanouchi and tell Sensei and the others…

A slight groan snapped her from his thoughts as Monkey Fist began to stir next to her. Yuki turned to see him sitting up, rubbing his eyes while trying to get used to the blinding sunlight. He glanced at the window, still shielding his eyes with his hand. "It is time," he said slowly.

"Yes," Yuki just said, uneasily turning her glance away "I should get going," she said, feeling unbelievably stupid for stating the obvious like that – but what was she supposed to say now?

Monkey Fist reached for her, but he seemed to change his mind and put his hand down. "I understand," he said, feeling a lump forming in his throat – still, somewhere in the back of his mind there was a part of him that cherished at the thought he would soon be free to go on with his quest for Mystical Monkey Power. He gritted his teeth. There was a small part of him that suggested him to ask her to forget Mystical Monkey Power and just ask her to stay – yet there still was a part of him that felt insulted by the mere idea. It was painful, and confusing to say the least.

There was a long, uneasy silence, neither of them knowing what to say. The silence was eventually broken by a knock on the door.

"Are you staying for breakfast?" he asked, a melancholic smile across his lips as the monkey ninja got in with the tray.

Yuki smiled weakly as well. "Why not?"

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to wait a few hours?" Monkey Fist asked as they stepped in front of the main door.

Yuki shook her head. "I have to get back to the airport to get the first fly if I want to be back in Japan soon."

"Why don't you call to ask somebody to give you a lift? Yamanouchi has a lot of connections, after all. They could send you a jet or something to bring you back, so you could…"

Yuki couldn't help but smile a little. "So I could wait for them here a few more hours?" she asked.

He dropped his shoulders. "Yes," he said, feeling as if somebody has just stabbed his heart. He knew it was probably the last time he would ever be able to speak to her – should they ever meet again, they would be fighting on opposite sides. And she would hate him for lying to her.

Yuki held back a sigh and reached to stroke his cheek. "I have to go back, Monty – I belong to Yamanouchi," she said, her voice strained "if I don't go now, I don't know if I'll be able to do so anymore."

"I understand," Monkey Fist swallowed as he opened the heavy wooden door "it is a goodbye then."

Yuki tried to smile, fighting back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. It's not easy smiling when you feel like your soul is being torn apart. "For now. I might come back to bother you someday."

_If you only knew, Yuki._

"Yes, for now," he said, avoiding her gaze as if he was afraid she could read his lie on his face if he dared to look at her.

"Monty?"

He forced himself to look at her, and he was once again caught by surprise as she hugged him tightly, her lips barely brushing against his ear. "I trust you," she whispered, almost sounding like she was pleading him to not betray her trust, pleading him to not break her heart. Monkey Fist swallowed and just held her back, saying nothing.

After what seemed an eternity, Yuki broke the embrace and took a step back. One last gaze and she was gone, leaving him alone in front of the open door.

Monkey Fist just stood in front of the door for a while, stunned by how quickly she had left – quick and silent like every ninja. He turned to glance to the hallway, and the thought of being alone once again seemed unbearable.

_It doesn't matter now. Soon, very soon, my destiny will be fulfilled. I will soon be the Ultimate Monkey Master – it's worth the sacrifice, isn't it?_

Still, as he closed the door, he couldn't help but feel a brief twinge of regret for what he was about to do.

_I close both locks below the window  
I close both blinds and turn away  
Sometimes solutions aren't so simple  
Sometimes goodbye's the only way_

_And the sun will set for you  
The sun will set for you  
And the shadow of the day  
Will embrace the world in grey  
And the sun will set for you..._

Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day


	31. Back to normal

_Author's notes: yay, I finally got to write about the greedy, power-hungry Monkey Fist we all know! I've been missing that side of him XD_

_This time I followed **AIT98**'s advice and looked for the early pregnancy symptoms on the interned instead of asking my mother: she's still being paranoid about last time, and I don't want her to have a heart attack. Yet. XD_

_I just noticed there are only a few pages left before the story reaches one-hundred. Man, had I known it would have turned out so long, I would have probably been too scared to start writing XD I've been writing this for over six months now; considering how lazy I am and how easily I get tired of things, this is some kind of record for me XD_

_Alright, enough of my useless chattering. Ignore me and enjoy._

* * *

"Ugh…" Yuki groaned, leaning against a rock as her head finally stopped spinning. She blinked a couple of times, slightly surprised by how quickly the sudden wave of nausea had disappeared.

"That's it, this is the last time I eat a sandwich in an airport," she muttered to no one in particular as she kept walking. She still had a few miles to walk, and she wanted to get to Yamanouchi before nightfall.

She had been traveling for two days now, and the possibility of spending the night inside one of the small caves on the side of the mountain with that weather didn't fill her with enthusiasm, especially considering the waves of nausea that kept rolling through her.

The cheese in that excuse of a sandwich had to be spoiled…either that, or it had been the night flight and the jet lag to make her feel like that.

Weird, she had never had such problems before.

For a moment she felt a twinge of regret for not doing what Monty had suggested, just calling for a lift by one of the many connections Yamanouchi had, but she quickly shook her head as if to chase away the idea.

She hadn't been lying when she had said she could not be able to leave if she waited just a little longer. She bit her lower lip, trying to not think too much about it. What was the matter with her? It wasn't like it had been unexpected – she already knew she was going to leave.

Still, leaving had hurt so much. There had been a part of her that had almost hoped he would call her back before she could leave, but he hadn't. Well, of course he hadn't: they both knew she had to leave sooner or later.

Yuki swallowed, trying to keep a hold on herself as she kept walking. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what could happen if anyone found out her true feelings about somebody who was still considered an enemy. According to the most restrictive rules of the school, she should have been banished for that – she had never heard of anyone being banished for that reason, but she had never heard of any ninja from Yamanouchi committing that kind crime either.

_Crime._

Yuki grimaced at the thought – there was no way she could think of what she had done as a crime, still what she knew it could be considered treason…especially since she had let her feelings influence her judgment against her own will.

She could only hope Monty had been honest with her when claiming he had changed his ways – the thought he could have lied to her the whole time seemed unbearable. She clenched her teeth, trying to chase away the thought, and she began to think of what she would tell to Sensei.

* * *

"Finally!"

A high-pitched, insane laughter echoed in the dark hallways of the castle, making the monkey ninjas slightly nervous. They had learned to know that kind of laughter, which usually could only mean one thing – troubles.

It had been quite a while since the last time they had heard that laughter, since when the intruder had came inside the castle. But now that she had left, their master seemed even more anxious than before about his research: he had spent the previous day and the whole night up in his study, as if to make up for the time he had lost.

Only once Chippy had tried to get in to ask if he needed anything, and he had quickly left as a heavy-looking book had barely missed his head. It looked like the master didn't want to be interrupted.

While his foul mood wasn't unusual, the fact he had thrown a heavy object against one of them was: no matter how irritated or angry their master could be, he had never actually done anything that could harm any of his minions before. This sudden change of behavior worried them. Maybe the master needed a holiday after all.

Too bad, the idea of a holiday couldn't be farer from Monkey Fist's mind in that moment. The monkey man was grinning in a rather disturbing way, staring at the book with reddened eyes. He looked terrible due to the lack of sleep – he was pale, with messy hair and dark rings under his bloodshot eyes, but right now he didn't feel tired at all. It's difficult to feel tired when every fiber of your being is pervaded by a deep sense of triumph.

His insane grin widened as he closed the book, his simian fingers tracing the weary cover. It had been extremely difficult to translate, especially since the 'book' itself was nothing but a collection of ancient documents collected over the ages, written in different ancient languages – and luckily Yuki didn't understand any of them like he did.

His face twisted in an odd mixture of regret and pride and the thought – mostly pride. He was still an authority in his field after all.

Now that he knew where he could find the Obsidian Monkey's right arm, it was only a matter of time before he could retrieve the other missing pieces – he would find the name of the location in which the next piece was hidden in each temple.

And after the Obsidian Monkey was complete, nothing could have stopped him – he would become the Ultimate Monkey Master, finally fulfilling his destiny, and nobody of the ones who had tried to stop him would be spared by his wrath.

_Nobody._

He was about to burst out of his study and call his monkey ninjas, telling them they were about to leave for Africa, then he suddenly remembered he couldn't take risks by violating any law – law was his best ally right now.

He had to be patient and get excavation permission by the Libyan authorities before he did anything – as long as law was on his side, he would have been free to find the Obsidian Monkey's pieces with no troubles.

Usually getting an excavation permission could take months, but he had the right connections, and he was confident that with some bribes he would get the permissions he needed in no time. It was illegal, but nothing serious enough to cause troubles as long as the people that counted kept their mouth shut – and it was in their own interest to do so.

It had been almost a routine when he still was an archaeologist, and nobody had ever complained.

The power of money and a royal title, he mused. It was almost ironical how Kim Possible kept trying to 'save the world' from him and other 'villains', considering what kind of people currently ran it.

He glanced at the clock – it was barely dawn, and the people he needed to call were most likely still sleeping. Not that he cared about their sleep, but they could understand how important the matter was and raise the price if he called them now – or, worse yet, get too curious.

He had to be patient; he couldn't risk to ruin everything by rushing things. Along with law and money, patience would be his main ally.

Monkey Fist yawned, beginning to feel the lack of sleep. It looked like there was nothing he could do until morning, and a little sleep wouldn't hurt after all. Still grinning at the thought of his upcoming triumph, he walked to his room and let himself fall on the bed, not even bothering to remove his clothes.

Still, for a brief moment, right before he fell asleep, his triumphant smile turned in a bitter expression as his hand instinctively reached for the empty space next to him.

* * *

"Yuki-sempai!" Yori's voice was dripping with relief as she approached, bowing slightly as the tradition required with the elders "I'm so glad to see you're fine."

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't I?" she asked with a smirk. She had to admit, it wasn't too bad being home again. Now that the nausea had subsided, she was in a surprisingly good mood as long as she avoided to think about Monty too much.

Yori quickly shook her head. "I didn't mean any offence, Yuki-sempai: I know you are perfectly capable to take care of yourself. I was just worried because…well, Monkey Fist is a dangerous foe. I was afraid he could hurt you."

The elder ninja couldn't help but smile inwardly.

_If you only knew, Yori!_

The thought worried a little though – would Yori think less of her should she ever find out the truth? She shook her head, once again trying to chase away such thoughts.

"Well, as you can see I'm fine. Mont…I mean, Monkey Fist isn't as dangerous as you may think if you know how to take him. Where's Sensei?" she asked as they walked into the yard.

A few students stopped training to look at her, probably wondering where she had been all that time – Yuki doubted Sensei had told everyone where she had been. She gave them a nasty look, and they immediately turned their gaze away and kept training.

Yuki grinned. Yes, it wasn't that bad after all.

"He's waiting for you," Yori said as they stepped inside the school "he was worried for you as well. Monkey Fist could have –"

"Well, he didn't," Yuki replied, a bit more sharply than she meant to. She snapped for nothing lately – the poor guy at the airport had been terrified. Still, the way everyone seemed to think of Monty just as some kind of heartless murderer bothered her deeply.

"He's been quite cooperative, actually."

Yori seemed surprised. "So…did he actually let you stay like Sensei told us?"

"Are you doubting Sensei's word?" Yuki asked with a smirk.

The girl seemed scandalized at the thought. "No, of course not!" she protested "I was only…"

"Hey, I was just kidding!" Yuki's smirk widened as she held up her hands "don't bite!"

"Bite?" Yori asked, a bit confused "why should I bite you?"

"Er…nevermind. How about some extra training after dinner? I've been missing fighting people who do not have four hands."

"You did fight with Monkey Fist then."

Yuki rolled her eyes, annoyed by her insistence. "We were just training, Yori. He didn't try to cut my head off and use it as a trophy, if it is what you're thinking..."

"He didn't even unleash his monkey ninjas against you?" Yori seemed bewildered.

"He did when he caught me at first," Yuki couldn't help but smile at the memory "other than that, I must admit they're not that bad to have around. The bake excellent cookies."

"They…what?"

The look of absolute astonishment and disbelief on Yori's face was too much – as they reached Sensei's meditation room, Yuki's ribs were still hurting for her efforts to not burst into laughs.

* * *

Chippy hesitated in front of the half-open door. It was almost time for the daily training, but the master seemed to be still sleeping – he usually was an early riser, but the two days without any sleep seemed to have worn him out.

The small monkey just stood there for a while, trying to figure out what to do – would the master get mad at him if he woke him up? Or would he get mad if he didn't? He had said they would have a training session that day after all – so he was supposed to wake him up, wasn't he?

Chippy carefully peered in to take a look - he still hadn't forgotten the book his master had thrown agains him barely hours before. In the dim light he could see his master on the bed, lying on his stomach, snoring sligthly. He hadn't even bothered change in his nightclothes before collapsing on the bed, he noticed, like he often used to do before the intruder came inside the castle and he stayed up until late.

He frowned a little as he noticed that the master was shivering in his sleep – as usual. And, as usual, it would be his duty taking care of it. Careful to not make a noise he got inside the room and took a woollen blanked from the usual drawer, then he silently climbed on the bed and laid the blanket across his master's back.

Monkey Fist stirred a little, but he didn't wake up. Chippy watched for a few moments as his master's frown melted into a more peaceful expression, then he quickly jumped down from the bed and scurried out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He did not notice how his master's hand was stretched out on the mattress, as if reaching for something or someone that wasn't there.

* * *

"You do really think he changed his ways then," Sensei said quietly as Yuki finished speaking. He had listened her without interrupting, carefully observing her expression and posture the whole time – there was something different about her, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what.

She nodded. "Yes, I think he did. I mean…he gave no reason to suspect otherwise," she said. She felt an odd fluttering sensation in her stomach, but she quickly dismissed it as nervousness.

"I understand," Sensei gave her a thoughtful look, and Yuki shifted a little – the slightly guilty look that crossed her face didn't escape the old man "fine, you can go to rest. It must have been a long journey."

As Yuki bowed and left the room Sensei ran a hand through his beard, thoughtful. Yes, there was something in her attitude that didn't quite convince him – it almost felt like she wasn't telling him everything. He was sure Yuki would never betray Yamanouchi, yet…he was sure he had seen a somewhat guilty expression crossing her features for a moment.

He was going to have to keep a closer eye on her.


	32. Realizations

_Author's notes: how did I find the time to write this one is beyond me. Yeah, guess who has four other exams in June? XD_

_I don't know when I'll be able to update the next chapter – hopefully it shouldn't take more than two weeks anyway. But I'm not completely sure, so I hope you'll enjoy this one! XD_

* * *

"You know," Yuki said, somewhat surprised as she blocked a blow "you really improved a lot over the past weeks, Yori."

The younger girl jumped to avoid her kick and bowed slightly before dropping back in a defensive stance. "Thank you, Yuki-sempai – but I still have a long way to go."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Yuki replied with a smirk as she leapt backwards to avoid a blow "you'll graduate much sooner than I did – it was…about five years ago, I think. I was twenty, maybe twenty-one."

"I didn't know that," Yori said, trying without success to trip her – the statement surprised her, for she knew Yuki had always lived in Yamanouchi and had started training sooner than any other student "did you have troubles?"

Yuki grinned. "One big trouble called clumsiness," another blow, another dodge "some people, like you, are just born to be martial artists – but some other aren't, and they have to work harder and longer in order to achieve the same results. I was most definitely one of the clumsy ones."

Yori smiled "But this didn't stop you," she said, leaping forward to strike "you kept training until you were ready instead of giving up – this is a talent as well."

Yuki couldn't help but laugh. "I had never thought of stubbornness as a talent," she said, grabbing Yori's arm and turning to flip her over her back "I'll take it as a compliment."

"It is," the girl managed to land on her feet and jumped back before Yuki could strike. She was about to leap forward, but she abruptly stopped in mid-action as she saw her elder suddenly become paler and stagger back, almost falling.

"Yuki-sempai?" she called out as she approached with a worried expression "are you alright?"

"Uh…" Yuki took a deep breath and shook her head, the wave of nausea disappearing "I'm fine, Yori, really. I've just been feeling a bit weird for the last couple of days."

"Maybe we should stop training if you are feeling unwell," Yori said, still looking worried.

Yuki made a face. "Hey, don't get all worried about me – it's alright, it was just a moment. I probably ate something spoiled on my way back to Japan. Nothing serious, I'll be better in a few hours now."

"I understand – still, I insist to stop training. Forgive my insolence, but it wouldn't be fair to fight against someone who's not feeling well."

"You're all about fair fights, aren't you?" Yuki asked, a bit amused. For a moment she wondered what Monty would have thought about it, but she quickly chased the thought out of her mind as she felt a twinge of pain in her chest. God, she had departed just a few days before and she missed him already.

"That's what you taught me."

"True enough. Alright, let's get back inside. It's getting cold anyway."

"You know, Yuki-sempai, I couldn't help but notice something changed in you fighting," Yori said as they walked towards the school. Yuki gave her a curious glance.

"Changed?"

"Yes. You used a couple of moves and stances I had never seen you use before."

Yuki smiled a little sadly – it looked like Monty had ended up rubbing off her somehow. Luckily, Yori didn't seem to notice the pained expression that crossed her features for a moment. "I learned them a while ago," she said vaguely as they stepped inside the school "listen, I'm really tired and I don't feel like eating this evening – I'll be in my room. See you tomorrow."

Yori silently watched as Yuki stepped inside her room, closing the door behind her. She sighed and was about to walk away as she heard a well-known voice coming from behind her.

"What do you think?"

The girl shook her head, without turning. "You were right, Sensei – something isn't quite right about her. She seems…"

"Different?" Sensei suggested, stepping beside her.

"Yes, different. I don't know how to explain – it's like her mind is somewhere else sometimes, and she speaks less with the students. She's been different since when she came back from Monkey Fist's castle. Do you think…" she turned to Sensei, a worried expression on her face "do you think he has something to do with it?"

"I don't believe he hurt her, if it is what you're thinking," Sensei said quietly "she would have told us instead of hiding it from everyone. Actually, had Monkey Fist done anything wrong to her I doubt he would be alive right now," the old man chuckled a bit.

"Do you really think she's hiding something?" Yori asked, somewhat terrified by the thought. Yuki, a traitor? No, it couldn't be. Not ever.

"I'm not sure, but there is a good possibility that something happened…something she doesn't want to talk about," the old man frowned slightly "she isn't feeling really well lately, is she?"

"She has nausea often enough – she says it must be something she ate. Why do you ask?" Yori asked, honestly confused. She couldn't see where Sensei wanted to get.

The old man didn't answer – he just gazed at the door of Yuki's room, saying nothing.

* * *

"Of course, I do understand you need some of time…yes, I know you must be careful – you cannot give the permission to look for ancient items to anyone, indeed. I'll wait all the time it is necessary, of course. I wouldn't want to give you more trouble than it's worth…I'm sure you are full of work, aren't you? So many treasures to take care of…oh, yes, it is a shame the museums don't have the money they need…"

A sly smile formed on Monkey Fist's lips as he listened what the idiot at the other side of the line was saying – he knew where he wanted to get. He had enough experience in dealing with such people – and greedy people are so easy to manipulate.

"If there is something I can do for you…no, no, I insist – your national treasures have always been close to my heart. A donation to your museum is the least I could do, I think. Yes, I insist. I'll transfer the money to your account tomorrow, and no objections will be accepted," Monkey Fist's grin widened as he listened that fool blabbing about how generous His Lordship was, how honoured he was for his donation and so on.

"You're most welcome, my friend – it is a shame how modern man doesn't seem to care about the wonders the past has to offer, isn't it? Yes, I agree. Now, about that excavation permission…two days, you say? Perfect, just perfect. Thank you for your help, and have a good day."

Monkey Fist hung the phone, his grin so wide that his cheeks almost hurt for the strain – but he didn't mind the slightest. In barely forty-eight hours he would have an excavation permission for the whole Libyan territory, and if everything went smoothly it would only take a few hours to retrieve the Obsidian Monkey's right arm and find out the location of the next place he could find another part.

And this time, there was no way anyone could stop him – not with law on his side. Oh, he almost wished for Possible and Stoppable to show up just to feel the satisfaction of rubbing in their faces the simple fact that what he was doing was absolutely legal!

He grimaced as he thought about all the times they had stood in his way, spoiling his schemes. Oh, but he was going to make them pay, especially Stoppable – that wretched impostor that had stolen from him what rightfully belonged to him.

His first action as the Ultimate Monkey Master would be showing him the true meaning of the word 'pain'.

The thought was enough to brighten up his mood once again – now he had to get ready to leave with his monkey ninjas the next day, to transfer the money on that fool's account and take the first flight for Libya.

"Monkey ninjas!" he bellowed, walking inside the living room. The monkey ninjas immediately stopped to do what they were doing – namely, playing Truth or Dare – and stood up in front of him, waiting for his orders.

"We're leaving for Africa tomorrow at dawn," Monkey Fist said, his hands folded behind his back "I want you to pack up everything we might need – don't forget the excavation instruments, the torches and…" he glanced down at his black ninja garb and sighed – he had to act as if he was once again the respected archaeologist he used to be if he wanted to avoid suspects "and some of my old clothes, I guess," he said unwillingly, as if the mere thought offended him.

His monkey ninjas nodded, and e went on. "Also make sure –" he paused and glanced to his minions once again "wait…where in the world is Chippy?" he asked, annoyed.

The monkey ninjas shrugged, now knowing what to say, and Monkey Fist sighed. Couldn't that blasted troublemaker just do what every other monkey ninja did for once?

As if answering to his unexpressed question, a squeal came from the door. Monkey Fist turned to see what looked like a moving bunch of clothes walking in the living room. He raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you hear me calling, Chippy?" he grumbled, folding his arms on his chest.

Chippy's head popped out from the bunch of clothes he was carrying as the monkey emitted an apologetic squealing.

"I don't care if you're doing laundry – when I call for you, I expect you to drop anything you're doing and come here. Next time you fail to do that, you'll be properly punished. Did I make myself clear enough?"

Chippy lowered his gave and nodded, looking mortified by his master's angry frown as he squealed apologetically.

"No matter," Monkey Fist turned his gaze away from him and looked at the others monkey ninjas "you know what to do. Now go."

He silently watched as the monkey ninjas, Chippy included, scurried out of the room to do his bidding. He sighed and began pacing back and fort – he felt like he just couldn't stay still. That was definitely going to be the longest night of his life.

He stopped pacing for a moment as he noticed the bunch of clothes on the ground – apparently, Chippy had just dropped everything on the ground before following the others. It looked like he had followed his order to 'drop anything' a bit too literally, he thought with a somehow amused smile.

His smile, however, froze on his lips as he noticed something among the bunch of clothes on the floor – the silken nightgown Yuki had been wearing just a few nights before. Without thinking he bent to pick it up and stared blankly at it, his simian fingers brushing across the silk.

_I trust you._

Just for a moment his expression turned into a pained one, then another emotion flashed in his eyes – rage. Rage against her for being so foolish to fall in love with him, and against himself for almost letting her be his weakness for a brief moment. He turned to the fireplace with a snarl and threw the nightgown into the fire, viciously gritting his teeth as he watched the cloth being destroyed by the flames, furious gaze never leaving the fireplace until the nightgown was nothing but ashes.

_A pawn. Nothing but a pawn._

* * *

Yuki took a deep breath through clenched teeth as another wave of nausea finally subsided. She sighed, leaning back on the mattress.

"This isn't getting better at all," she muttered to the empty room, closing her eyes and trying to ignore her growing headache. She really couldn't understand what was wrong with her lately – she felt tired, her head hurt and she nausea just wouldn't leave her alone.

She refused to believe it was because of some excuse of a sandwich. It had been days since when she had eaten it, for heaven's sake!

Yuki couldn't remember ever feeling so sick before – she had always been healthy, the only times when she sometimes felt a little sick was because…could it be _that_?

No, it made no sense – it wasn't time yet, it was only…well…

She frowned as the thought crossed her mind – _when_ was the time anyway? She bit her lower lip, trying to remember. Last time it had been shortly before she left for London, therefore…

_Therefore…_

Yuki's eyes snapped open as the realization hit her – for a while she just stared blankly ahead, unable think, unable to feel anything but shock. It took a while for the realization to sink in her brain with its full implications.

She had skipped her period.


	33. The girl that can do nothing

_Author's notes:_ _and the story reaches its 100th page! XD_

_Yes, I should be studying. Yes, I'm here writing instead. As usual.But hey, I just found out I have two more weeks to study than I thought, so I decided to take a break. So sue me XD_

_Enjoy._

* * *

No, it couldn't be.

It just couldn't be, because…because…yes, because. Just because. It couldn't be. No way.

…could it?

Yuki shook her head, hoping against hope that she had been wrong. Yes, there was a mistake. There HAD to be a mistake – she had probably miscalculated something. She might not have skipped her period after all.

_Aw, please_ – the most lucid part of her mind piped in – _you've never been a mathematical, but not even you are so stupid to miscalculate something like this. You put yourself in a nice mess, Yuki._

But this meant nothing, as she desperately tried to convince herself. There could be a lot of different reasons that could lead to a skipped period, after all…

_Yeah, right. Just ignore the fact that it never happened before, and now you skipped your period for the first time in your life just after having unprotected sex like some silly teenager would do. What a nice coincidence. By the way, are you going to blame that poor sandwich for your sickness for long? Because I'm starting to think there's someone else to blame, don't you? Someone who's currently not much bigger than a grain of rice._

Yuki swallowed, still trying to find something to reply to what the rational part of her mind kept repeating, but she could find nothing. Panic arose in her chest as she finally brought herself to face the obvious – she was expecting with the child of one of Yamanouchi's worst enemies.

She had never been one to be easily scared – stubbornness, confidence and a good dose of irresponsibility being the main reason. But right now, nothing of those things could help her: she was, to be accurate, scared to death.

The thought she could ever become a mother had never crossed her mind – she had never been fond on children, and she could barely handle herself most of time, let alone a child! She had been raised by ninjas: she had no idea of what a parent is supposed to do. The mere thought of being responsible of the life of another human being was enough to scare her – no to mention that said human being would most likely end up having her banished for good from what had always been her home.

She had broken almost every single rule of Yamanouchi by giving herself to an enemy. That alone would have been enough to have her banished, and the fact she was carrying the child of said enemy could only make things worse. Yuki knew she could not hide the pregnancy for long – and once they found out, it wouldn't have taken long for anyone who knew where she had been the past month to put two and two together…and when they did, she was certain she would be banished before she had the time so say anything in her defence, if there was any defence possible.

_Alright, try to not panic. You have a problem, so take a deep breath and think about what you could do about it. You cannot just sit here wait for people to find out about this thing: it would only result with you being banished and left alone with a child you don't know how to raise._

Yuki cringed at the thought, her panic rising. Yamanouchi had always been her home. Outside the school, she had nothing: no family, no friends, no job. She almost knew no one outside the school – no one besides Monty, actually.

_You could just go back to him before anyone here realizes what's happening to you. He's the father of the child, after all. He has his responsibilities. Have you thought about this possibility?_

No, Yuki hadn't thought about it. It was tempting, for she wouldn't have to confront Sensei and the others if she did so – it would spare her the humiliation and the banishment. Yet…would that really be the best solution?

She loved him, she truly did, and she there was no way she could ever bring herself to feel guilty about what she had done…but she had honestly no idea of how he could react to the news. She couldn't just show up and say 'guess what? I'm pregnant'. To be honest, she didn't think he would be that happy. Not at all.

If there was one person Yuki thought even more unfitting than her to ever be a parent, that person was Montgomery Fiske.

_You have a point. Well, looks like you don't have much choice besides hoping in Sensei's comprehension then. Unless…_

"Unless I get rid of it," Yuki muttered to the empty room, unconsciously resting her hand on her belly. It seemed the easier solution: nobody would ever find out the truth, and she would go on with her life as if nothing had ever happened. Maybe she could ask for a few days of permission – after all, she had technically spent a whole month on a mission. She could find a hospital and…oh, if only it wasn't such a difficult decision!

The burden of deciding the future of a human life felt too heavy on her shoulders. There was a life inside her – how was she supposed to decide what was the right thing to do?

Yuki let out a groan as she burrowed her face in her hands, struggling to order her confused thoughts. There was only one thing above doubt - she wasn't getting any sleep that night, nor for the others to come.

* * *

**Somewhere in the Libyan Desert.**

"Finally!" Monkey Fist couldn't repress a triumphant laughter as he stepped closer to the simple stone shrine where the Obsidian's Monkey right arm rested. It was bigger than he thought – just as big as a human arm, and probably very heavy. Dragging it back to the surface was going to be difficult, but he had seen worse.

Getting there had been surprisingly easy, he mused. The hardest part had been finding the hidden entrance of the cave and remove the sand and stones that blocked the way – everything else had been a child's play. Well, actually finding the way to the main cave through the maze of galleries had taken some time, but there hadn't been one single trap along the way.

His grin widened as he reached for the obsidian arm…then he suddenly stopped, his fingers almost touching the item as he noticed there was something peculiar about the spot on which the arm was resting. He frowned, staring at the shrine for a few moments, then he smirked – there was the trap then!

"Give me something heavy – that rock should do," he ordered, turning to his monkey ninjas "quickly!"

Three monkey ninjas lifted a rock and handed it over to him. Monkey Fist grabbed the heavy rock with one hand and placed his other hand on the item, getting ready to switch them quickly enough to not let the hidden mechanism trigger the trap. The rock wasn't as heavy as the obsidian item probably was, but he hoped it would be heavy enough to keep the mechanism blocked.

He needed to be careful: he didn't know for sure what kind of trap he could trigger by mistaking, though he had the dreadful suspect that it could result in the whole subterranean cave collapsing, crushing him and his minions under tons of stone and sand.

"Should anything go wrong," he instructed his monkey ninjas, his eyes fixed on the item "get away from here as quickly as you can."

A few whimpers echoed in the cave.

"Do not question me! I'm perfectly capable to take care of myself, so should anything happen just follow my orders and run away!" Monkey Fist snapped impatiently before turning his full attention back to his task. He took a deep breath, then he grabbed the obsidian arm and pulled it aside, quickly placing the rock in its place.

For a single, dreadful moment he was sure he had heard a 'clack' indicating that the trap had been triggered, but much to his relief he soon realized it had only been his imagination. He let out a sigh of relief and turned his attention back to the jet-black item he had just risked his life to get.

It had been worth it, he mused. It was a wondrous sight, glistening at the light of the torches. His grin widened once again as he grabbed it – it was cold and smooth to the touch and, as he had anticipated, terribly heavy. He had to hold it with both hands, and it was a great strain.

He noticed something odd on the palm of the hand – there was something written there…the name of the location where another piece was hidden, no doubt.

"Looks like we're going to Bolivia next," he said with a grin "fetch the bag," he ordered to his minions. After he carefully placed the item inside the bag, he grabbed the torch he had left on the shrine and handed it to one of his monkey ninjas.

"Make way – I'm going to need both hands to carry the bag. No, you cannot do that, it's too heavy for you. Now let's get going, I don't want to spend here any more time than it's necessary."

It took them almost a hour to get back to surface – the bag was so heavy that Monkey Fist had to stop several times to get some rest, stubbornly refusing to let his minions help him carrying the precious item.

The explorer suit he was wearing didn't really aid his movements as he climbed up to surface. The only thing holding him back from cursing himself for wearing that blasted thing again was that it had been necessary to play his part well – it was the kind of clothing you would expect a respectable archaeologist to wear.

Therefore, he couldn't hold a sigh of relief as he finally got to see the sunlight again.

"I'm definitely getting too old for this," he muttered to no one in particular as he pushed the bag through the hole and finally got out, panting heavily. He blinked, trying to get his eyes used to the light again. It was a terribly hot day – which was not surprise since they were in a desert. As he watched his monkey ninjas running upon the jeep to find solace from the burning sand, he had to be grudgingly grateful for the boots he had forced himself to wear. He swept off the sweat from his face with his sleeve and bent to grab the bag.

"Not so fast, Monkey Fist!"

Monkey Fist knew who it was before turning – those words, not to mention that voice, had became quite familiar in the last years. He grinned to himself – it seemed he was going to have some fun, after all.

"Miss Possible," he said smoothly, turning to the red haired teen standing in front of him in a fighting stance "I must admit I'm quite surprise to meet you here. Aren't you supposed to go after criminals?" he asked, gesturing his monkey ninjas to stay on the jeep.

"It is exactly what I'm doing," Kim remarked, her eyes lingering on the bag on the ground for a moment "I knew you wouldn't stay away from your usual monkey business for long."

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I don't get what you mean," he said quietly "since when doing my job is a crime?"

"Since when your job is trying to take over the world, I guess," Kim shrugged "never wondered why we're constantly putting you in jail?"

Much to her surprise, the monkey man laughed. "I do see your point, Possible, though I'm afraid you and your sidekick –" he trailed off and glanced around "speaking of which, where is the buffoon?"

"Hey, I heard that!"

Both Kim and Monkey Fist turned to see Ron Stoppable hanging upside down from a camel's saddle, struggling to get free, bright colored boxers in full view. His trousers were around his ankles, and apparently they were stuck on the saddle.

Kim groaned while the monkey man chuckled, holding back the loath he felt for the boy – there would have been time to crush him later. "Oh, yes…I've been missing these amusing little scenes," he said tauntingly, folding his arms.

His last words were however covered by a loud screech, to which Ron answered waving enthusiastically. "Hey, Chippy!" he exclaimed, apparently forgetting his current position "how are you doing, buddy?"

"He's doing just fine, thank you," Monkey Fist said, coldly glaring at the monkey ninja, who emitted an apologetic squeal and sat back on the car's back seat among the others "as I was saying," he went on, turning his gaze back to Kim "I'm afraid you and your sidekick –"

"It's the _boyfriend _now, monkey freak!" Ron pointed out as he managed to stumble on the ground somehow, putting his pants back on.

"Fascinating," Monkey Fist muttered dryly "I'm so happy for you."

The boy blinked. "Really?"

"I was being sarcastic, Stoppable. Believe me, your love life doesn't interest me in the slightest."

"Oh," Ron paused and frowned, as if he had suddenly been reminded of something "hey, speaking of 'love life' – last time we met, you were running away from DNAmy. How did you get her off your back? It didn't look like she would leave you alone that easily…"

"I was arrested," Monkey Fist said grimly, barely repressing a shudder "did you _have_ to remind me that episode?"

"Bad memories?"

"You have no idea, Stoppable."

"Hey, at least you got rid of her for good."

Monkey fist blinked. "I did?"

"Well, now that she's dating Killigan –"

"Killigan…_what_?" Monkey Fist muttered, bewildered. He was not sure he should feel sickened, incredulous or just grateful. Maybe all three.

"Yeah, it's sick and wrong, but that's it. You weren't at the last Villain Convention, now that I think about it…"

"I haven't left my castle much lately," the monkey man said quickly "besides, I've quit that kind of business. I'd rather ask what were _you_ doing at a Villains Convention…"

Ron shrugged. "Spying, what else? You gotta be informed these days, though sometimes we end up spying thing we would never want to know…"

"Er…excuse me?" Kim called, snapping her fingers to get their attention back – being completely ignored wasn't one of the things she liked the most "I'm sorry to interrupt, but…can I remind you we're not here to discuss about the villains' love life?"

"Most definitely," Monkey Fist said with a disgusted expression, still kind of shaken by the frightening though of Amy Hall and Duff Killigan together "as a matter of fact, I'm here to work. Now, if you don't mind…"

"Hey, stop there!" Kim exclaimed, taking a fighting stance once again "drop that bag!"

Monkey Fist grinned. "Why should I? What I'm doing is perfectly legal," he said, folding his arms.

"Yeah, right. Try another one…what is that?" she asked as the monkey man produced a paper from his pocket and waved it in front of her.

"An excavation permission for the whole Libyan territory," he said with a smirk "and the permission to keep under my care anything I find until I'm done with my research, of course. You might want to check," he added, handing it to her.

Kim grimaced. "Of course I want to check," she muttered. She quickly read what was written on it, then she grabbed her kimmunicator and held it in front of the paper "Wade, scan this and tell me if it is authentic."

The computer genius typed something on the keyboard, intently looking at the screen. "Yes, he finally said "absolutely authentic."

"What!" Kim blinked, stunned.

"You gotta be kidding!" Ron exclaimed, snatching the kimmunicator from Kim's hand "check again, Wade! There's gotta be a mistake – there is no way somebody in his right mind would give him the permission to go looking for mystical stuff!"

"No way!" Rufus echoed, his head popping out of Ron's pocket.

Wade shook his head, somewhat disappointed. "No mistakes, guys, sorry. Lord Monty Fiske is officially allowed to look for whatever item he wants. It is absolutely legal."

"As I was saying before you interrupted me twice," Monkey Fist said smugly, a smirk playing across his lips as he took the paper back from Kim's numb fingers and put it in his pocket "I'm afraid you and your _sidekick _made a long journey for nothing. Face it, Possible – you can do _nothing_. I'd suggest you to spend your time in a more constructive way than chasing someone who hasn't committed any crime."

"Someone who hasn't committed any crime _yet_," Kim pointed out, putting her hands on her hips "we'll be keeping a eye on you until you make a mistake."

Monkey Fist shrugged – oh, yes, it was even funnier than he had thought. "I'd rather suggest you to not do so – I haven't broken any law, and I'm not going to. You would only waste your time," he said, lifting the bag with some effort and carefully putting it inside the jeep "besides, I wouldn't want to sue you two for stalking," he added with a fake smile.

"What?" Kim exclaimed, looking absolutely outraged by the thought "you must be joking!"

"Oh, there's no need to take it so badly, Possible – I'm certain you'll be wise enough to not give me any reason to do so," Monkey Fist said as he sat on the driver's seat "do you want a lift to get back to civilization?" he asked slyly, still smirking.

Kim Possible's furious look was enough of an answer – apparently, the thought that there was nothing she could do to stop him bothered her deeply.

The monkey man shrugged, the smirk still on his lips. "Suit yourselves."

"It doesn't end here," Kim said as she stepped forward, clenching her fists.

Monkey Fist completely ignored her and glanced at Ron, who cringed under his icy gaze.

"Indeed," he said quietly before driving away "it doesn't end here."


	34. All in good time

_Author's notes: I should be studying Latin right now, so…yeah, guess what I'm doing XD  
Again, I don't know when I'll be able to update next: until now I'be been slacking a bit with my studies lately, but now the worst parts begins and I'll probably need most of my time, so...yeah, I don't know when I'll get to write another chapter. In the meanwhle, I hope you'll enjoy this one XD_

* * *

**Isla del Sol, Bolivia.**

Monkey Fist smiled down at the black item he had just retrieved: the Obsidian Monkey's left arm, shining in the sunlight. This time retrieving it hadn't been as easy as the previous time – the shrine was located at the bottom of Lake Titicaca, and it had taken a while to get the necessary equipment, but it had been worth it. Besides, he could afford losing a few hours – another 'donation' had granted him an excavation permission in no time, and the quest was going on faster than he had dared to hope.

Team Possible hadn't show up – they had probably understood there was nothing they could do as long as he didn't break the law: they were probably still keeping an eye on him, but they couldn't really do anything. It almost disappointed him in a way: he would have loved to make fun of them one more time before he destroyed them.

_It doesn't matter. I'll make sure they pay before I finish them._

"It was worth the trouble, wasn't it?" he asked to no one in particular, his eyes still fixed on the relic. He seemed uncaring of his soaked clothes, uncaring of the wind that rushed over them making his equally soaked monkey ninjas shiver.

He sneezed and carefully studied the item, and his triumphant grin widened as he saw the inscription on the back of the hand – now he knew where to looks next.

"Looks like we're going to Himalaya next," he said, "it's been a while since I went there last time – it's time to pay another visit, I guess. Come on, let's get on the boat…_no_, Chippy, you cannot drive. After what happened last time, I'm not eager to repeat the experience," he paused and sneezed "and no, the fact we're soaked already _isn't _a good reason to let you. Now let's get going, there's no time to waste!"

As they followed their master on the boat, the monkey ninjas exchanged worried glares, wondering how much of a good idea could it be getting to Himalaya right after getting a cold. Maybe they should have said something, but they quickly decided against it. In those situations trying to stop their master was like trying to stop a train with your bare hands: dangerous, painful and useless.

* * *

"You're not staying for the afternoon training, Yuki-sempai?" Yori asked, intently looking at her lost expression – the more time passed, the more she was convinced that something was wrong with her.

Yuki nodded. "Yes, I'm coming," she said, her voice sounding strained despite her efforts to sound calm as she unwillingly walked to the yard for the training session.

A couple of days passed since when she had realized the trouble she had gotten herself into – she had tried to go on with her usual life without let anyone notice what was happening to her while desperately trying to make some order in her thoughts, but the more time passed the more confused she was.

She still had no idea of what she could do. For all her life, she had always tried to make the right thing – though, she had to admit, she had never been forced to do many decisions. Living in Yamanouchi had somehow sheltered her from life: she had always followed the school's code, and there had never been any problem.

Well, not big ones anyway.

In retrospect, choosing to believe to Monty when he had told her he had changes his ways had been the first serious decision she had been forced to make by herself – and even now she wasn't sure it had been the right one.

This decision was, if possible, even more difficult to make. If she kept the child, her whole life would completely change, and probably not for the better: she would be banished and left alone with a child she didn't know how to raise – she highly doubted she could ever be a good mother, especially since she had nothing outside the school.

Just getting rid of the child seemed the easier solution…but the easier solution wasn't always the right one. Could she really destroy the life inside her and still be at peace with herself? The thought alone was enough to make her feel guilty – could she really get rid of the child without being eaten by guilt for the rest of her life?

What if…

"Watch out!"

Yuki suddenly snapped out of her thoughts as she noticed that one of the students was about to strike her. Lost in her reflections, she had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be in a training session. She raised her right arm to block the blow while her left hand went to shield her stomach, instinctively protecting the small life inside her.

"Nice move," she said with a small smirk as she ducked and spun around, tripping the student "try again."

Yuki tried her best to put all her attention back to the training – she couldn't let anyone notice there was something wrong with her before she had decided what she could do.

However, she didn't notice that Sensei was gazing at her form a window.

The old man had frowned slightly for a moment as he had noticed the way she had instinctively shielded her stomach even though the student hadn't shown any intention to hit her there, then a small smile had formed on his lips as he finally realized what had been wrong with Yuki all the time.

He was going to talk to her as soon as the training session was over.

* * *

_Sitting on a flat stone, Sensei frowned slightly as he watched the fight in front of him. He had tried to tell Monkey Fist to wait until his collarbone had completely healed to start training again, but he had refused to listen to him – he was getting restless, anxious to get back in shape, and Sensei couldn't blame him: it was probably the only way he could think of to prove himself he had truly gotten over everything that had happened._

_He had agreed to let him train with his monkey ninjas outside the school, at the condition he would be there to see the training session, and it had proved to be the right thing to do – Monkey Fist was getting too hard on himself and his monkeys._

_"Is that everything you've got?" Monkey Fist gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the sharp pain in his shoulder as he took a fighting stance once again "have you forgotten everything I taught you?" he snarled, clearly annoyed._

_He seemed to be oblivious that his minions were just holding back, aware that his physical condition wasn't as good as he was trying to make them – and himself – believe._

_"What do you think you're doing?" he snapped as his monkey ninjas stepped back, refusing to fight him any further "answer to me!"_

_Sensei smiled a little as one of the monkeys squealed something – he had a good guess of what the monkey was saying._

_"I am perfectly fine!" Monkey Fist shouted, gritting his teeth once again as a bolt of pain came from his shoulder "now come back here and fight! That's and order!"_

_The monkey ninjas just gave him a worried look and whimpered again. They seemed terrified by how furious their master seemed, but they still refused to obey._

_Monkey Fist growled. "I will not tolerate this," he threatened, apparently enraged by his minion's sudden disobedience "for the last time, come back here and –"_

_"They won't."_

_Monkey Fist trailed off and turned to Sensei – he had been so silent the whole time that he had forgotten his presence. "Excuse me?"_

_"They won't fight you," Sensei repeated quietly "not while you still have to heal completely."_

_"Fine," Monkey Fist growled, turning his glance back to his monkey ninjas "get lost, I will deal with you later" he muttered as he watched them scamper away. "They will regret this…"_

_Sensei frowned. "What are you going to do, punish them because they are worried for you health?" he asked sharply "they won't fight you any further because you're still not ready: you collarbone still hasn't healed completely. You would only succeed to hurt yourself, and they're not going to let you."_

_"I am perfectly capable to fight," Monkey Fist said stubbornly, too frustrated to acknowledge that his minions were ready to face punishment for their disobedience rather than hurting him in any way._

_"Fight me, then."_

_Monkey Fist blinked, taken aback by the unexpected reply. "What?"_

_"Fight me," Sensei repeated quietly, getting up from his sitting position and stepping forward "I can guarantee you I won't hold back."_

_The monkey man glanced at him somewhat uneasily._

_"What's the matter, Monkey Fist? Are you afraid to fight an old man?" Sensei asked, somewhat amused "or maybe you think I'm too old to fight?"_

_Monkey Fist shook his head – he hadn't forgotten how easily Sensei had defeated one of DNAmy's gorillas the last time they had met. "I don't, it's just…" he frowned. What was the matter with him? That was the kind of uneasiness a student could feel when challenging his master – but Sensei wasn't his master, he had never been._

_Never._

_"Never mind," he said sharply, taking a fighting stance "I'm ready."_

_The old man just smirked. "We'll see about that," he stated calmly, not even bothering to take a fighting stance "show me what you've got."_

_The attack was quick, Sensei had to admit. Monkey Fist was an amazing fighter…but he was still wounded, and he wasn't thinking clearly – that was his weak point._

_The old man ducked under his blow and elbowed him in the stomach. Monkey Fist doubled over, gasping for breath, and Sensei took advantage of his distraction to slide behind the monkey man's back. Monkey Fist tried to turn quickly, but he let out a pained howl as burning pain shot through his right shoulder, causing him to lose his concentration._

_It was exactly what Sensei was waiting for. As the pain distracted Monkey Fist, he raised his hand and quickly pressed a certain point on his back, then he just stepped back as his opponent's body stilled and fell on the ground._

_The fight was over._

_"As I tried to tell you earlier," the old man said serenely as he watched the man lying on the ground "you are not ready to start training again – not with a broken collarbone. That's why your monkeys refused to fight you – what do you think would have happened had any of them hit you shoulder?"_

_Lying flat on his back Monkey Fist let out a groan, trying to get up, but he couldn't move a muscle. "What have you done to me?" he asked, trying to not panic – the thought he could stay paralyzed for the rest of his life was dreadful._

_"Oh, it's nothing, really. It's just an ancient technique to paralyze the opponent – I might teach you someday. But don't worry, it's not permanent: you'll be back to normal in a few minutes."_

_Sensei stepped closer, but before he could get any more near Monkey Fist a loud screech filled the air. The old man smiled as the monkey ninjas seemed to jump out of nowhere and stood between him and their fallen master, preventing him from getting closer. "Looks like they're not going to leave your side even if you ask them to," Sensei said, somewhat amused._

_Monkey Fist gritted his teeth – the thought that his minions had witnessed his defeat by the hands of an old man was unbearably humiliating. "I told you to get lost," he said harshly, giving them a furious glance, still unable to move. A couple of them whimpered something, and Sensei's smile widened as he saw Monkey Fist's stern expression soften slightly._

_"I'm fine," the monkey man said quietly, turning his gaze away from his minions "now go away."_

_The monkeys hesitated for a few moments._

_"Please," Monkey Fist said wearily, still avoiding to look at them "just go away."_

_The monkey ninjas gave another suspicious look to Sensei before finally obeying their master and scurrying away, disappearing from their sight. There were a few moments of silence._

_"You should show more respect to them," Sensei said somewhat sternly as he sat down next to him "they don't deserve a such treatment. They wouldn't hesitate to die for you, no matter what. You're more than a master to them – you're their protector and mentor, and you owe them a fair treatment for their faithfulness. Don't forget it."_

_Monkey Fist swallowed a painful lump in his throat "I won't," he said quietly._

_Sensei nodded. "Can you move yet?"_

_"Nope," Monkey Fist said, trying without success to move his arms and legs "are you sure…this isn't permanent?" he asked, a hint of fear in his voice._

_"Absolutely – just wait a few more minutes and you'll see. It's enough time to talk a little, I guess," Sensei said, letting his gaze wander to Yamanouchi "what are you going to do when you'll be free to go?"_

_The monkey man sighed. "I didn't know if you were ever letting me go away in the first place."_

_"You won't be our…guest for long. So, what are you going to do once you're free to do whatever you want with your life?"_

_"I have no idea," Monkey Fist replied, his gaze a bit distant – the thought of whatever he would do with his life after he left Yamanouchi had never crossed his mind until now. Did he even stand a chance to rebuild a life for himself after what he had done, after so many years in which becoming the Ultimate Monkey Master had been his only ambition? Did he ever deserve this chance after what he had done to Yuki? "I have never thought about it."_

_"You will have to. No, not now," Sensei said as Monkey Fist tried to speak "think about it for a while – there are still some things that are bound to happen before you're ready to give me and yourself an answer."_

_"What kind of things?"_

_Sensei stayed silent for a while. He knew Stoppable-san was almost ready to accept his powers and take his place as the true Monkey Master, and when he would Monkey Fist would be the first one to know it. Being the only living beings who had been touched by Mystical Monkey Power bounded them in many ways: should any of them reach the full potential, the other one would know immediately – and Sensei was pretty sure that learning without a shadow of doubt that he was never meant to be the Monkey Master would be a hard blow for Monkey Fist._

_"All in good time," the old man finally said quietly "all in good time."_


	35. Breaking the rules

_Author's notes: there isn't really that much about Monty - only one scene, for the chapter is mainly centered on Yuki. Hey, she has her good share of troubles too XD I was about to include another scene with Monty, but it wouldn't really fit in the chapter and it would have meant dividing one scene in two parts, so I decided to keep it for the next chapter (besides, busy as I am lately having part of it already written helps XD)._

_Enjoy._

* * *

"Do you have a moment, Yuki?"

"Uhu?" Yuki turned to see Sensei standing next to her, as if he had just appeared out of nowhere. She glanced at the others, students and elders alike as they got back inside to eat. She was hungry – man, she had never been as hungry as she was in these days in her life, and now she knew why – but if Sensei wanted to speak to her she couldn't just walk away to eat.

"Yes, of course."

"Fine. How about a little walk?" he said as he began to walk, not even waiting for an answer. Yuki blinked, wondering what was up with him, then she shrugged and followed him. They walked in silence for a few minutes.

"So," Sensei said as they were out of anyone's earshot "I've heard you've been a little sick lately."

Yuki cringed inwardly. "I…it was nothing, really," she said, trying to sound calm "I'm just fine now."

The old man raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

She swallowed, forcing herself to not turn her glance away. "Really," she lied, trying to sound convincing. Deep inside, she was panicking – she had never managed to really lie to Sensei in her whole life, and she didn't think she could do it now.

Sensei nodded. "I'm most relieved to know that. You also seem a bit…distant since when you got back from England, as if your mind is stuck somewhere else. Yori thinks you look troubled."

So they had noticed something after all. Yuki bit her lower lip. She didn't like how the conversation was going, not at all.

"It's just…nothing, really. I'm just a little tired lately."

Sensei nodded. "I understand. You know, I've been watching you during the training today," he added casually, apparently changing topic.

"Oh," Yuki nervously bit her lower lip, not knowing what to say, both relieved and surprised by how quickly he had changed topic. Where did he want to get?

"You see, at some point you did something I didn't expect from you – a mistake you haven't done in years. You left your side unguarded to shield a part of you body your opponent showed no intention to hit. Tell me, Yuki," he turned and watching her intently "is there any particular reason why you risked to lose the fight to protect your belly?"

He raised an eyebrow as Yuki suddenly went terribly pale – it looked like he had been right then.

"I…" Yuki swallowed, unable to speak, her mouth suddenly terribly dry. For a moment a few excuses crossed her mind – but what was the point? It was clear that Sensei knew everything, his gaze was enough to tell her that much. How could he know when she had barely had time to find out herself was beyond her, but that was beside the point.

He knew she was expecting, and she was pretty sure he had put two and two together and guessed who the father of the child was already. Her shoulders dropped as a dreadful sense of despair and loss pervaded her: she would surely be banished from Yamanouchi – from her home – before dawn and she would be alone with no place to go.

"Looks like I was right then," he said calmly, his expression as serene as always "you're with child, aren't you?"

Yuki found herself once again unable to speak: all she could do was nodding numbly, her mind already struggling to figure out what she could do after being banished. At that point, getting back to Monty would most likely be the only solution, though she had no idea of how he could take the news – she had distinct feeling he wouldn't be thrilled at all.

"Do you need to sit down?" Sensei asked with a small smile "you look pale."

Yuki glanced at him, bewildered – she had expected him to tell her to leave the school for good after giving her a lecture about how dishonorable what she had done was and what a fool she had been to let an enemy take advantage of her so easily…and he was asking her if she needed to sit down instead.

Maybe he hadn't guessed who the father of the child was…but it seemed improbable, considering that he knew perfectly where she had been the past month. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Her confusion seemed to amuse Sensei somehow. "Oh, don't look at me that way – what did you expect, some kind of punishment?"

"Yes," Yuki said, finally finding enough voice to speak "I mean…the rules…"

"Well, being pregnant is not a crime our rules punish so severely – unless, of course, you're referring to the fact that the child's father is still considered an enemy."

Yuki lowered her gaze, feeling guilty and ashamed of what she had done for the first time.

"Tell me, Yuki," Sensei said gently "do you regret what you've done?"

She sighed. "No," she answered truthfully. There was no point in lying now – she would face her punishment after telling the truth.

"Do you love him?"

There was a brief silence – that was about the last question Yuki would have expected him to ask. "More than I can possibly say," she finally answered.

"I see – you cannot win when the enemy you have to fight is you own heart. And tell me, does he love you back?"

Yuki took a deep breath. "I think so."

She almost expected him to tell her she had been a fool to think that someone like Monkey Fist could ever be capable of love, but Sensei just nodded. "I understand. As you probably know, getting… acquainted with an enemy is usually punished with permanent banishment," he said, causing Yuki to cringe "that's exactly why I'm not going to do anything against you."

"What?" Yuki stared at him, mouth open "but the rules…"

"Oh, forget those old rules," Sensei just shrugged, a bit amused that he was being the one telling _her_ to forget the rules for once "I'm not throwing an expecting woman out of her home – that would really be dishonorable. Things needed to change sooner or later anyway; don't you think I broke the rules when I accepted to take you in as a baby?"

"So…you're letting me stay," Yuki stated, still unable to believe her ears.

The old man nodded. "Yamanouchi has always been your home, and it will always will. Don't worry, and take your time to decide about your life – both your lives. Whatever you decide to do, there will always be place here for you and your child. Don't forget it."

Yuki nodded ad swallowed, feeling incredibly relieved and ridiculously close to tears. "I won't," she said softly "thank you."

Sensei smiled. "Let's get back inside," he just said as he began to walk to the school "it's getting cold out here."

She nodded dumbly and followed him, still bewildered by the unexpected turn the conversation had taken. The thought of becoming a mother still terrified her, and she didn't know if she should tell Monty or not…but knowing she wouldn't be banished relieved her immensely: at least she wouldn't find herself alone with the baby.

She turned one last moment to glance at the sun setting behind the mountains before following Sensei into the yard, and she felt her heart ache as she wondered what Monty could be doing.

* * *

**Mount Everest, Himalaya.**

_"Atchoo!"_

A powerful sneeze echoed in the small cave, causing the monkey ninjas to wince. They turned nervously to look at their master, who was sitting against the other wall of the cave, the Obsidian Monkey's torso cradled in his arms as if it was a child. As they expected, he had fallen ill – you cannot climb mountains facing snowstorms and avalanches with a cold without consequences, after all.

Maybe they should have tried to convince him to wait until weather was kinder, but it would have been pointless: he wouldn't listen to them anyway, ignoring anything they could say to convince him like a stubborn kid.

He didn't even want to consider the idea of taking a break now that he was so close to his goal, and they were sure he would be looking for the next item without taking a moment to rest, no matter how sick he was.

"What are you looking at?" Monkey Fist growled, giving a nasty glare to his minions right before sneezing again. He stretched a little, causing his aching back to protest loudly.

Monkey Fist grimaced – he should really bring his training meditation schedule back on track: he had been so carried away with his quest in the last week that he had only trained a few minutes a day, and he could barely remember last time he had meditated. As much as he hated to admit it he was not so young anymore, and without constant, proper mental and physical training his body often protested when he slept on bare stone like he was doing now.

One of his monkeys tried to ask if he was fine, and Monkey Fist snorted. "No, I'm not fine. I'm ill, I'm sore and I'm chilled to the bone. I want a hot bath, a bed and a back rub. Since you can't provide me any of this, just keep quiet and don't bother me."

As the monkey ninjas quickly turned their attention back to the small fire they were trying to light up, Monkey Fist coughed and leaned more comfortably against the wall, grudgingly grateful for the heavy clothes he and his monkey ninjas were wearing – climbing the mountain with that weather with their usual clothes would have been suicidal madness.

He looked down at the black item in his arms and gave a sick smile, his mood brightening. Retrieving it had been much harder than retrieving the other two, both because of the item's superior weight and that awful weather, but it had been worth it all the trouble.

Now he only had two other pieces to find: the legs, which were thankfully fused as one piece being crossed together in a lotus position, and the head. Now he knew where the legs were, and as soon as he could find them and thus find out the location where the head was hidden, power would be within his reach.

Thankfully, retrieving the next part wouldn't be so hard – he had never been in Madagascar, but he was certain that the weather was much better than where he was now. Wherever would have been better than there.

Monkey Fist sneezed again and gritted his teeth, his triumphant expression turning in an annoyed frown: being stuck there while he should already be on his way to Madagascar was frustrating to no end. As if the avalanche that had slowed them down that afternoon hadn't been enough, he mused as he glanced at the violent snowstorm going on outside. It had caught them when they were getting ready to get back, and they had been forced to find shelter in that cave – trying to get back with a snowstorm would be a suicide.

The monkey man yawned. He had barely slept in the last few days, too focused on his quest to think about pretty much anything else – his monkey ninjas had been forced to remind him to eat a couple of times. Now that he was stuck there, he just realized how awfully tired he was. Maybe it would be a good occasion to get some sleep; there wasn't much more he could do anyway.

He shifted a little, trying to find a comfortable position against the hard wall as he got ready for a night of uncomfortable sleep. His gaze became a little distant as he absentmindedly watched the snowflakes eddying in the icy wind outside the cave as the snowstorm went on, Yuki's voice echoing somewhere in his mind as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall.

…**it was the first day of the New Year, and there was a snowstorm going on – the first snowstorm of the year. So he decided to call me Yuki Tamashii – Spirit of Snow.**

There was a loud screech in the cave as the monkey ninjas finally managed to light up a fire to stay warm. Chippy turned to tell his master they had succeeded, but he stopped squealing as he saw that Monkey Fist had fallen asleep already, his eyes tightly shut, the obsidian item clutched to his chest as if it was his most precious possession in the world.

* * *

_"Are you sure about your choice?"_

_"Yes. I think it is the best solution for the child."_

_"You think?"_

_"Alright, I'm almost sure it is."_

_"Almost?"_

_Yuki sighed and massaged her temples. "Are you trying to make everything more complicated?"_

_"I'm just trying to make sure it is what you really want," Sensei said serenely._

_"Really? I'm starting to think you just like to watch me struggle –" Yuki suddenly trailed off, as she saw Yori's scandalized face, realizing that wasn't exactly a respectful way to speak to a superior "I'm sorry, Sensei. I'm getting even snappier than usual lately – I meant nothing of what I said."_

_The old man waved his hand dismissively. "No need to worry, it's perfectly comprehensible. As I was saying, I only want to make sure you won't regret your choice. Are you sure you want to stay here?"_

_"Yes, it is the best place I can think of to raise the child. I have to think about him first."_

_Sensei raised an eyebrow. "Him?" he said quietly._

_Yuki blushed a little, her hand resting on her slightly swollen belly. "I think it is a boy," she said uneasily, a half-hearted smile on her lips "don't know why, it's…just a sensation."_

_"Don't underestimate your sensations – the bond between a mother and her child is deeper and stronger than any other. Anyway, is it only because of the child that you want to stay here?"_

_"No, it's not only because of him. Monty…I mean, Monkey Fist has already proved himself untrustworthy. I can't trust him anymore – how happy could I ever be with him if I can't trust him? Besides, would he ever accept the baby?"_

_"He was devastated when I told him the child had died with you."_

_"This means nothing. He just felt guilty, like every human being would: this doesn't mean he would be ready to accept this responsibility – and even if he accepted it, he isn't exactly the first guy I think of when I try to imagine how a good father could be like. Actually, he's pretty low on the list. A little below Godzilla, I think."_

_"Wasn't Godzilla a female?" Yori asked, a little confused "and didn't she –"_

_"You know what I mean. I had no idea you watched that movie."_

_"Stoppable-san told me everything about it."_

_Yuki trolled her eyes. She should have known Yori would name Stoppable at least once a day, and the fact she hadn't until now was too good to be true._

_"Anyway," she said, turning back to Sensei and trying to ignore the stinging pain she felt as she spoke those words "I'm not sure I can forgive him, I don't think he could ever make a good father and I don't even know how he could react should he even know that I'm alive and you've been lying to him the whole time. In any case, it just cannot work."_

_"I understand," Sensei said quietly "it is your decision, and I will not interfere. Just answer one question – do you think it would be fair letting him spend his life blaming himself for a death…no, for two deaths that never happened?"_

_Yuki bit her lower lip, staring at the ground. "No," she said softly "it wouldn't be fair."_

_"Then have mercy on him, Yuki – meet him, tell him the truth before he leaves. Neither you or your child will have to see him again if you don't want to, but at least he won't spend the rest of his life mourning."_

_"You had the idea of making him believe I was dead."_

_"It was necessary in order to help him on the right path – some people need to suffer from their mistakes to learn from them. But once his journey will come to its conclusion, not telling him the truth would be an unnecessary cruelty."_

_"Couldn't you just tell him then?" Yuki asked. The thought of facing him again scared her – part of her was afraid of his reaction, while the other part was afraid she could change her mind and make the wrong decision again if she did face him again._

_Sensei shook his head. "It is a matter between you and him."_

_Yuki sighed. "Alright," she said unwillingly "I'll meet him before he leaves."_

_"Fine," Sensei turned and walked to the door "one last question, Yuki," he said quietly, without turning to look at her "there will come the day when your son will ask you about his father. What are you going to tell him?"_

_She sighed and lowered her gaze. "I don't know," she said slowly "I really don't know."_


	36. The Monkey Master

_Author's notes: this is probably the first time I'm really glad about insomia. For once I'm not even tired at morning, and it givesme a bunch of extra time to study/read/write/fool around. Not bad, I hope the whole 'not tired' thing will last - wouldn't want to fall asleep during an exam or something XD  
About the chapter, I almost felt bad writing it. No, not almost - I DID feel bad. Oh, well...Monty just had to confront the fact he would never be the Monkey Master sooner or later. Or maybe it's just a good excuse for me to torture the poor guy further - you tell me XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"It was about time," Monkey Fist muttered angrily as the monkey ninja stepped inside his room and put the tray with his dinner on the nightstand. He had been in a nasty mood the last few days, which didn't surprise his minions – being forced to bed by fever would make anyone angry, let alone somebody who could barely stand being secluded and that was too obsessed by his quest to care about his own health.

Actually, the monkeys had been kind of surprised when their master had listened to the doctor's advice to get some rest instead of rushing to Madagascar immediately. For a while he had stubbornly refused to give up, repeating that his business could not wait, but he had went a little pale and had finally accepted the doctor's advice when he had been told he risked pneumonia if he didn't take a better care of his health and get some rest.

For some reason, the mere idea of that illness seemed to scare their master more than any deadly trap he could find in his way to the next item.

Monkey Fist sneezed, putting the book he was trying to read with an annoyed frown – it was too dark in the room to read, and he didn't feel like getting up to open the curtains and turn on the light. He tried to sit upright to eat, but his head spun, forcing him to lie back on the pillows with a frustrated growl.

"I'll eat later," he snapped angrily as he noticed the look of sympathy Chippy was giving him – he loathed being pitied for whatever reason "stop staring and open the curtains – it's too dark here."

Chippy whimpered something and went to open the curtain, letting the light inside the room.

"Now get lost."

As the monkey ninjas left the room Monkey Fist coughed grabbed the book again and tried to read, but he didn't seem able to stay focused enough to read – the words seemed to wave in front of his eyes, and his head throbbed. He sneezed and threw the book aside with an annoyed grunt, holding his throbbing head in his hands.

The mere thought that he was forced to bed while he should already be on his way to find another part of the Obsidian Monkey was maddening – he had definitely chosen the worst moment to fall ill. Oh, well, it didn't matter: he would get better in a few days, and then…

His chain of thoughts abruptly stopped as he glanced out of the window – the sun was setting, spreading a beautiful orange glow across the sky. He froze as his gaze met the setting sun, his expression blank for a few moments as his mind went back to his father's last sunset as he lay dying in that same room, in that same bed.

Monkey Fist instinctively turned to the right side of the bed, to the spot where he and his mother had been during his Matthew Fiske's final moments. It was empty – of course it was, what was he expecting? He didn't know many people that would be ever slightly bothered by his death, and definitely nobody who would assist him in illness. Nobody but one – but she was going to hate him more than anyone else as soon as he would take his rightful place as the Ultimate Monkey Master.

_It is a necessary sacrifice._

He shook his head and closed his eyes to not see the orange glow of the sunset, trying to ignore the horrible feeling of emptiness as he quickly turned his thoughts back to the Obsidian Monkey.

* * *

_"Not one of your best mornings, is it?" Sensei asked with a small smirk as he watched Monkey Fist sit up on the mattress with a groan._

_"There is no part of me below the neck that does not hurt," the monkey man muttered as he rubbed his eyes, careful to not move his shoulder too much – each movement sent bolts of searing pain through his already aching body. It hurt even to breath: apparently his ribs still hadn't healed completely either._

_"I told you it was too soon to start training like that. You should have begun with something easier – your body has been badly damaged, and it is no longer used to so much strain."_

_"Are you sure the fact you literally paralyzed me yesterday didn't help?" Monkey Fist asked, rubbing the back of his neck – despite what he had said to Sensei, even his neck ached._

_Sensei shrugged. "Probably. To paralyze you I had to cause a shock, after all – and considering your general conditions, it's no surprise your body didn't react too well."_

_"Thank you so much," Monkey Fist said dryly, carefully getting up._

_"You said you were ready."_

_"I shouldn't be allowed to speak."_

_The old man chuckled. "Do you want to get out, or do you ache too much? It's a wonderful day outside. But mind you – no training until you get better."_

_Monkey Fist let out a sigh of relief – after what had happened the previous day he had feared Sensei wouldn't let him get out of his room until he had healed completely, and now that he had finally allowed to get outside more often the thought of being caged up in his room again was unbearable._

_"Yes, I nee– I want to get out."_

_"Good," Sensei stepped outside the room "There is something I need to take care of right now – I'll join you outside in a few minutes. You know the way, don't you?"_

_Monkey Fist blinked. "You're letting me go outside alone," he stated, bewildered. Since when he had brought him out the first time to see his monkey ninjas, six or seven weeks before, he had never been allowed to go anywhere without Sensei keeping an eye on him – he was strictly forbidden to wander around the school alone and to get anywhere near the students._

_Sensing his surprise, the old man shrugged. "I don't think you can be a serious treat to anyone right now, nor I think you would leave the school in you current condition, considering how far we are from the nearest town and how much you ache – you know better than that. Besides, I don't see any reason why you should want to leave right now."_

_Monkey Fist smiled a little bitterly at his last statement – it was true, there was no real reason why he should try to escape: greed and obsession had left him with nothing but an empty castle and many regrets, and he highly doubted someone would ever miss his presence. His monkey ninjas were probably the only creatures that would._

_"Point taken," he said, his voice shallow and emotionless._

_Sensei seemed to understand his thoughts. "Things can always change, you know," he said quietly "don't give up on yourself."_

_"It's easy to say," Monkey Fist said bitterly "you didn't destroy your own life."_

_Sensei just smiled inwardly and left the room, not even bothering to reply, his mind set on other matters as he got in his meditation room – Stoppable-san would need his help in a few minutes._

_It was time._

* * *

**Middleton, Graduation Day.**

"Sensei?"

Ron Stoppable got up from the ground and looked up to those aliens freaks, his blood chilling as he heard one of them talking about turning Kim in some kind of trophy as he held her unconscious form as if she was some rag doll.

Shego had just been knocked out, and Drakken was nowhere to be seen. He was alone, facing two powerful aliens that were threatening his girlfriend's life, and he didn't know what he could do.

"You are the Monkey Master."

Ron turned to the ghost-like figure hovering behind him, forgetting for a moment the dramatic situation he was in.

"I am?" he asked, a bit confused. Could he really be the Monkey Master even though he feared and loather anything simian-related, even though he got Mystical Monkey Power only casually, even though he could barely do anything without dropping his pants?

Sensei just nodded. "This is your destiny," he said solemnly "you are ready."

Ron turned to see Kim's unconscious form. He had to protect her – for once, he was the one that had to save her: he wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt her. Not ever.

Ronald Stoppable clenched his fists and stared at his enemies with a frown, ready to fight, a flow of energy he had never really known to possess flowing through his body, making him feel strong and invincible.

_Unstoppable._

"I am."

* * *

_"Ah!"_

_Monkey Fist let out cry as he leaned against a rock, his hands holding his head as if trying to soothe the sudden stab of searing pain that had shot through his skull. He was barely aware of the worried screeches of his monkey ninjas around him as he gritted his teeth, struggling to not scream again._

_Thankfully, the pain disappeared as quickly as it had started; all he felt now was some kind of buzzing in the back of his head, and the sensation that something had happened – something that had caused the part of Mystical Monkey Power in him to react that way._

_"Oh, stop screeching!" he snapped at his monkey ninjas "I'm –" he trailed off, watching his worried minions._

_"**You're their protector and mentor, and you owe them a fair treatment for their faithfulness. Don't forget it."**_

_Monkey Fist sighed. "I'm fine," he said, keeping his voice calm with some effort "just keep quiet, will you?"_

_As the monkey ninjas stopped squealing, Monkey Fist sat on a rock, trying to think of what could have happened to cause such a reaction. He was sure it was related to Mystical Monkey Power somehow – but how?_

_"I was sure you would have sensed something."_

_The monkey man turned to see Sensei approaching, his expression unreadable. "What happened?" _

_"Just what was meant to happen: the Chosen One has taken his rightful place as the Monkey Master."_

_It took a full minute for those words to sink in his brain as he stared at the old man, unmoving and unable to think. "No," Monkey Fist finally whispered, staring at Sensei with widened eyes as if he hoped would say it had been some kind of sick joke, "it's not true."_

_Sensei raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying I'm a liar?"_

_"Yes! You are lying – you must be lying!" Monkey Fist growled as he quickly got up, completely oblivious of his aching body's protest. Ron Stoppable, the Ultimate Monkey Master? No, it just couldn't be – he refused to believe it!_

_"If you don't believe me, just believe your sensations. What else do you think could have happened? You and he are the only ones to possess Mystical Monkey Power. Stoppable-san's powers have reached their full potential – he is the Monkey Master," Sensei cocked his head and smiled a little "why is the truth so hard to accept?"_

_Monkey Fist gritted his teeth. "He never deserved that power! I gave up on everything I had, and he never did anything to deserve it, he never made any sacrifice to get it – he just stole it from me!"_

_"How could he steal from you a something that didn't belong to you? That power was rightfully his – it was his destiny," he paused before striking the last blow "you were merely a tool in the fulfilment of his destiny as the Monkey Master. Accept it and move on, Monkey Fist."_

_"NO!" Monkey Fist snarled, anger burning in his eyes as he grabbed the front of Sensei's robe, almost lifting him from the ground – the thought he could have been just some kind of tool in a cruel joke of fate was unbearable "I refuse to! You are wrong, Mystical Monkey Power doesn't belong to that buffoon, much less the title of Monkey Master!"_

_"Even if it didn't, why should you care?" Sensei said serenely, not even bothering to break free from his grasp "that power doesn't belong to you either. You admitted it yourself a few weeks ago."_

_Monkey Fist blinked, startled, his grip on Sensei's robe slacking slightly against his own will._

_"I…"_

_"_ 'I've been a fool, an arrogant idiot, trying to possess a power that doesn't belong to me,' _" Sensei quoted, staring the incredulous monkey man "this is exactly what you said, correct me if I'm wrong."_

_"I…you…" Monkey Fist tried to speak, but he could think of nothing he could say – he had been betrayed by his own words. He let go of Sensei's robe and took a staggering step back._

_"What is it that hurts the most, Monkey Fist – the knowledge you were never meant to be the Monkey Master or the fact you destroyed everything you had trying to get something that would never belong to you?" Sensei asked._

_The old man just watched serenely as Monkey Fist dropped his shoulders and sank on his knees with a mournful cry, a look of utter defeat on his face. "Why?" he asked, his shoulders trembling as he stared at the ground, crushed by the revelation "why him? What does he have that I don't have?"_

_"He has a pure heart; you don't. He will make a good use of his powers; you only wanted power for yourself. That's why you never stood a chance to be the Monkey Master."_

_Monkey Fist closed his eyes and swallowed, saying nothing, struggling to not break down. He felt like his heart, or what was left of it, had been ripped from his chest leaving nothing but a horrible sense of loss. So it was true – he was never meant to be the Monkey Master: he had only been a tool to give the power to its rightful owner. He probably should have felt furious with fate and with himself for being foolish to serve it as a pawn, but right now he could feel nothing but an awful sense of emptiness._

_The silence was suddenly broken by a hesitant squeal – the monkey ninjas, who had followed the scene with growing confusion, were approaching carefully to their master. Sensei couldn't understand what they were saying, but he was sure they were trying to comfort him somehow. A small smile formed on his lips as one of the monkeys awkwardly put a comforting hand on Monkey Fist's shoulder and whimpered something. _

_Monkey Fist raised his gaze from the ground with some effort, his heart feeling horribly heavy, and gazed at his monkey ninjas. He would have normally felt enraged and somehow humiliated by the pity in their eyes, but this time he felt nothing but a faint sense of gratitude for having them by his side. He chocked back a sob and gritted his teeth, struggling to keep a hold on himself._

_"I'll be fine," he said, his voice shaking just a little "now leave. Please."_

_Sensei followed the monkeys with his gaze as the scurried away, turning back to glance at their master sometimes. "You may not be the Monkey Master, but they are still loyal to you."_

_Monkey Fist turned his gaze away from his monkeys. "I know."_

_"Here, get up," Sensei stepped in front of him and offered him his hand to help him "tell me, have you thought about my question?" he asked as he helped the monkey man on his feet._

_"Question?"_

_"What are you going to do with your life?"_

_The old man raised an eyebrow as the Monkey Fist began to laugh as if it was the funnies joke he had ever heard. He kept laughing for a while, over and over, ignoring the pain at his ribs, and for a moment Sensei wondered if his mind had just snapped._

_"Life?" Monkey Fist finally asked as he stopped laughing "what life? My life is over – I have nothing left. Nothing. I wasted my whole life for Mystical Monkey Power, I even caused Yuki's death because of it...and it belongs to another – and I am the one who handed it to him, moreover. How delightfully ironic, isn't it?" he gave an odd sound, a mixture between a laugh and a sob._

_"Not your whole life," Sensei stated matter-of-factly "you did waste quite some years, but you still have many years left to live."_

_"Years that are not worth living." _

_"You could rebuilt a life for yourself."_

_"How could I? Becoming the Monkey Master has always been the only goal in my life, and with Yuki gone I have nothing else worth living for."_

_"Always, you say? That's not true. Until a few years ago, you were a respected archaeologist who wanted knowledge for the sake of knowledge – that was your goal back then. Knowledge."_

_Monkey Fist shook his head somewhat mournfully. "That man is long since gone."_

_"That man was never gone – he's been waiting to get free from the chains of obsession all these years, and now he finally has his chance. Do you remember how your life was like back then, when your obsession still hadn't gotten the better of you, when you still valued knowledge above anything else?"_

_The monkey man closed his eyes. "I had what would have made anyone else happy. I was rich and respected. I was fascinated by the past, and I felt proud everytime I could show to the world some item I retrieved, a part of history I brought back to surface. I was offered a teaching position a few times, but…"_

_"You refused."_

_"Yes," Monkey Fist said, and this time there was no regret in his voice "I wasn't interested in teaching, I just…" he paused, a somewhat nostalgic look in his eyes "I loved my job," he said quietly. It was true – he had loved his job. He cringed inwardly, wondering when he had became so corrupted to start loathing everything he had been._

_"You do have something else to live for besides Mystical Monkey Power then," Sensei said with a broad smile "nobody outside Yamanouchi knows you've broken the law – there is nothing preventing you from getting back to your old life," he said, deciding to not mention the fact that Kim and Ron did know about what had happened – he was confident they would keep their word and keep it a secret._

_Monkey Fist scoffed. "Just getting back to my old life, after everything that happened? It isn't possible," he paused and gave Sensei an almost hopeful look – he had never thought about that possibility "…is it?"_

_Sensei chuckled. "Why not? Give yourself another chance."_

_"Do I even deserve a second chance?"_

_"Yuki didn't save your life to have you miserable. She didn't give up on you, and I won't either."_

_Monkey Fist swallowed, his mind blurred by an odd mixture of pain, loss, confusion, regret and hope. Even now that he had somehow managed to come to terms with what he had done, knowing he was never meant to be the Ultimate Monkey Master had been a terrible blow – and now the new task ahead of him, putting the pieces of his life back together, seemed insurmountable. Mystical Monkey Power had been the centre of his life for many years; could he really get over it?_

_"You seem to trust me more than I'm willing to trust myself."_

_"Someone has to, don't you think? You'll have a lot of work to do, so I'd suggest you to stop moping over what's done. You lost any possibility to become the Monkey Master, but now you can get your life back – it's a fair trade. Forget what you cannot have, and focus on what you can achieve. Are you at least willing to try?"_

_There was a long silence._

_"I'll try," Monkey Fist finally said, avoiding to look at him "I'll try."_


	37. The last location

_Author's notes__: yeah, still taking breaks to write instead of killing myself on the books the whole day like I'm supposed to do. I'll end up doing as usual: slacking shamelessly until a week or two before the exam (depending how difficult it is) just to panic completely and start studying like hell the last days. It's tiring, but it works XD_

_A couple of things – first off, _**Spicyweasel **_had the idea of having Monty using scientific names referring to a couple of animals, mostly because of when he calls Rufus3000 "rodentia" in AsiT. Thanks for the suggestion, Hanna ; )_

_Another thing – the Japanese name "Michio" is pronounced 'mee-she-o'. Just to let you know._

_Enjoy._

* * *

**Madagascar, Southern rainforest.**

"I hate lemurs," Monkey Fist muttered to no one in particular as he made his way through the forest, followed by his monkey ninjas. A couple of hours before they had realized a few minutes too late they had just stepped in the territory of a group of _lemur cattas_, common ring-tailed lemurs, and they had found out at their expense just how vicious those big eyed, cute-looking little could be when they felt threatened.

They were no match for him and his monkey ninjas, of course, but those claws _hurt_. For once he was glad that Chippy had insisted bringing the first aid kit, though he felt kind of stupid walking around with a band-aid across his nose like a five-years-old that had fallen from his bike. At least nobody was around to see him.

He paused, sweeping off the sweat from his face with his forearm – there wasn't much left of his sleeve – as his eyes carefully scanned his surroundings. "Yes!" he grinned as he saw the big, reddish stone a few feet from him, almost completely hidden by the vegetation. He quickly tore away the vines upon it to reveal an inscription, which he read with an almost predatory gaze.

"We're getting close," he announced to his exhausted minion, checking his compass "just one-hundred steps that way – it must be just near that peak. Let's go, I want to…what's the matter?" he asked as he noticed how tense his monkey ninjas seemed, nervously glancing around. Monkey Fist frowned as he heard something, like twig snapping somewhere to his left.

He turned to see a relatively small, cat-like creature staring at him with large eyes – a fossa. Four other similar animals stepped out from the vegetation, baring their small but sharp teeth, circling them as threatening hisses filled the air.

Monkey Fist frowned. First those blasted lemurs, now this – that just wasn't his lucky day. It surprised him though: fossas didn't live in groups. Besides, it was very rare for a _c__ryptoprocta__ ferox_ to attack a man: as far as Monkey Fist knew, it could only happen when there were very young pups to protect – maybe they had sensed his presence and had decided to team-up to protect their pups?

Or maybe, he thought as he glanced at his monkey ninjas hiding behind him as the fossas came closer, they had just decided to variate their usual diet with some monkey meat. He probably wasn't their target – his monkey ninjas were, and though highly trained it would be too dangerous for them to face carnivore felines by themselves. They couldn't even escape on the threes, for fossas could climb as well.

Too bad, it looked like those overgrown cats were going to skip their lunch – he could not afford to lose any of his minions right now. He quickly picked up a branch from the ground and held it in front of him, ready to fight them off, for the first time in his life regretting he hadn't brought a gun or something similar.

"Don't face them directly if you don't want to have your heads bitten off – try to distract them while I attack," he ordered, then he sighed as the fossas approached "I hope you still have that blasted first aid kit ready. I get the distinct feeling we're going to need it."

* * *

"I _loathe_ fossas," Monkey Fist clenched his teeth and let out a hiss of pain as a monkey ninja applied the disinfectant on a wound on his right forearm "are you trying to kill me?" he snapped as the poor monkey, who whimpered apologetically before turning his attention back to the bite. Luckily it was nothing serious: aside for that bite, a couple of scratches and his ripped shirt, the fossas hadn't managed to cause too much damage or to kill any of his monkeys.

Monkey Fist just hoped there wouldn't be other troubles in the way to the temple – that quest was seriously threatening to kill him. He let out a sigh of relief as the monkey ninja finished disinfecting his wound and went to fetch some bandages.

"Forget about that, we can't lose other time," he said as he ripped away what was left the sleeve of his explorer suit and wrapped it around the wound, yanking it tight. He got up and gestured his monkey ninjas to follow him "let's go, the temple shouldn't be…" he paused and frowned "Chippy, what in the world are you doing with that needle?" he asked, taking a few steps back.

The monkey looked at him innocently, a deadly looking needle in his hand as he squealed something about preventing infections after being bitten by wild animals. Monkey Fist couldn't help but wonder where could he have learned about that.

"I…don't need it. Put that thing away," Monkey Fist ordered nervously, folding his arms and trying to not look at the needle, ignoring his monkey ninjas' amused glances. He hated to show any kind of weakness in front of his minions, but that needle was horse-sized to say the least!

"Let's get going," he said sharply as he turned and began to walk "I want to get inside the temple before sunset and –" he trailed off and growled as rain suddenly began to fall violently, soaking him in no time – just the last thing he needed now. "I despise rain season," he muttered darkly as he kept walking "now I know why I never went on this blasted island before. Are you coming or not? I want to get away from this cursed place as soon as possible."

As the other monkey ninjas immediately followed their master Chippy paused for a few moments, the needle still in his hand. Yes, it was quite impressive and he couldn't blame his master for being scared – he knew a lot of humans held an irrational fear of that stuff – but he couldn't let him take his health so lightly and get some disease, could he?

Maybe he would get angry, but it was for his good.

Chippy scurried next to his master, the needle hidden behind his back, and squealed something, causing Monkey Fist to frown and look down at him. "What do you mean? 'Sorry' for what?"

Before he could react Chippy gave an apologetic whimper, quickly raised the needle and stuck it in his thigh.

All over the forest, birds fled at the resulting shriek.

* * *

Despite the situation, Yuki had to admit that Yori's expression was quite a sight: the usually collected girl was staring at her with widened eyes, mouth agape, as if she had just told her she was planning to have a gender change or something.

Maybe telling her the truth hadn't been such a brilliant idea, but she would find out sooner or later, and now that Sensei had officially allowed her to stay was no point in keeping the whole thing hidden and let Yori worry for her health – though she couldn't help but think the girl would have been less shock to be told she was deathly ill.

"Uhu…Yori?" Yuki waved a hand in front of the girl's eyes "are you still here?"

Yori blinked. "You…he…" her blank expression was suddenly replaced by an enraged one "how…how _could_ he!"

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Pretty much the usual way, I think."

"That…that monster! I knew he was evil, but I would have never thought…we have to tell Sensei, he must pay for what he did!"

"Uh?" Yuki blinked, a taken aback by the unexpected reaction – she knew Yori wasn't fond at all on Monty and she honestly couldn't blame her, but such a reaction wasn't like her at all. She was acting as if she had just said Monty had…

Yuki frowned. She wasn't thinking he could get so low to do a such thing, could she? "And what do you think he did, Yori?" she asked narrowing her eyes, a sharp edge in her voice.

"Well, he…he did…" the girl paused and looked at her, surprised by her outraged expression "you mean…he didn't…force you?"

"_Force_ me?" Yuki hissed, causing Yori to take a step back "of course he didn't, he would never dare to do a such thing! Everything that happened was absolutely consensual – what kind of monster do you think he is?"

"Oh," for a moment Yori just stared at her, her mind struggling to accept the idea of Yuki willingly sleeping with Monkey Fist "you mean…you…he…" she repeated, her brain refusing to process the information. To her, Monkey Fist was just a villain: insane, cruel, power-obsessed and incapable of love. Quite honestly, she couldn't figure out what Yuki could have ever seen in him – but how could she say that without being offensive to her elder?

"I'm sorry, Yuki-sempai," she finally said with a short bow, biting her tongue to not say anything that could upset her "I jumped to the wrong conclusions too fast. Does Sensei know?" she asked with a worried look on her face. As far as she knew, Yuki could have been banished for what she had done, and the thought was dreadful – she knew Yuki had nothing outside Yamanouchi.

Yuki nodded, trying to calm down – Monty had kidnapped her and almost succeeded to have her killed, after all: she couldn't completely blame her for thinking of him as heartless. "Yes, I told him everything a few days ago. He allowed me to stay – he allowed us both to stay."

"Oh," Yori was most relieved "I'm so glad about it, Yuki-sempai. Did he choose the name already?"

"The name?"

"Well…according to our rules, if Sensei decides to make an exception and allow a child to stay he must be the one to choose the name. He did the same thing with you, didn't he?"

Yuki frowned in thought – that was true, she had completely forgot about that rule. Accepting the child of an enemy was not the like accepting any other child in the school: Yuki was pretty sure it had never happened in the school's history, so she hadn't thought about the fact Sensei had the right to choose the baby's name.

The thought struck her somehow – she had never though of any name for the baby: the thought it was going to need a name made it feel more like a true human being rather than just a bunch of cells developing in her womb causing her to feel sick. She cringed inwardly, slightly frightened by the idea. She still hadn't accepted the pregnancy: it felt more like some illness she was suffering from. Yet, the sudden realization that the life she was carrying inside her was going to become a true person, with a personality of its own filled her with awe. She rested her hand on her belly, her head spinning a little, not sure of what she could say.

"So…you're both staying, aren't you?" Yori's voice brought her back to reality.

"For now."

"Does it mean you're going to have to leave?"

Yuki shook her head. "No, I don't have to. Sensei told me we can both can stay here permanently, unless I decide I decide otherwise."

"You mean…unless you get back to him?" the mere idea of Yuki leaving the school to stay with someone like Monkey Fist was far beyond Yori's comprehension.

Yuki shrugged. "Yes," she said, her gaze a little distant "unless I get back to him."

The thought worried her. Monty had the right to know about the child, but she honestly doubted he would be thrilled to hear the news, and he wasn't exactly an ideal father – he most likely didn't even want to be one to begin with. She sighed. To be completely honest, she didn't think she could ever be much of a parent either, and she kind of lacked of maternal instinct. Yet…

Yuki shook her head – she had put herself in a real mess, but it wasn't so bad after all: she still had time to decide, especially now that she didn't have to worry about being banished. "Time will tell, I guess," she said, still not knowing how little time she had left to make up her mind.

* * *

"Yes!" a broad grin formed on Monkey Fist's face as he finally lifted the heavy obsidian item from its shrine, immediately forgetting that he was soaked, aching and covered with sand because he had been careless enough to walk into a pool of quicksand right in front of the entrance of the room – an ancient yet deadly trap. Had he been alone, without his monkey ninjas to throw him a rope and pull him out, his bones would rest under the sand for all eternity.

The thought made his grin waver, but only for one moment. Euphoric as he was, there wasn't much room in his mind for those morbid thoughts: he had made it to the item – the Obsidian Monkey's crossed legs – and that was all that mattered. Now he only had to retrieve the head to make the Obsidian Monkey, and thus his power, complete, reaching its full potential – this time, nothing could stand in his way to become the Ultimate Monkey Master. Nothing.

_This is the end, Stoppable. You should have never tried to stand between me and my destiny – I'll make sure the last thing you'll ever do in your pathetic, meaningless life will be cursing the day of your birth._

He raised his torch to read the inscription on left leg and find out the name of the location where the head was hidden, but the light suddenly began to waver, causing him to frown – the batteries were dying down. Reading the inscription could wait, now they had to get out of that temple: he couldn't take the risk to be left in the dark in a temple full of traps.

"That way," he said, gesturing to the passage they had came from and handing the torch to the closest monkey ninja in order to keep both hands free to hold the item "stay near me and watch your steps, I'm not going to lose time to get any of you out of trouble again," he said, apparently forgetting that he had been the only one to get in trouble since they had entered the temple. The other monkey ninjas exchanged amused glances for the second time that day as they followed their master outside.

It was still raining as they stepped out of the temple, but Monkey Fist didn't seem to mind, to busy admiring the item he had retrieved, gleaming with pride. Grinning, he turned the idol to take a closer look to the inscription, anxious to find out where the Obsidian Monkey's head was hidden.

But his grin disappeared, his whole body stiffening in shock as he read the inscription. He swallowed, feeling none of the triumph he thought he would feel by finding out the last piece's location. For a moment the words seemed to waver in front of his eyes, making him hope he had been wrong. He blinked and looked again, but there was no mistaking. The inscription was still there, perfectly clear, leaving no possibility of mistake.

_Mount Yamanouchi._

* * *

"_Did you want to speak with me, Yuki?"_

_Yuki bowed briefly. "Yes, Sensei. I'm sorry to bother you."_

"_You're not bothering me at all," the old man said with a small nod "is there something that bothers you?"_

"_Well…" Yuki hesitated "a few months back, before…everything happened, Yori told me about a rule I forgot about – when you accept to let a child live inside the school, you have the right to choose its name."_

_Sensei chuckled, waving his hand. "Oh, it's just another rule we can break. You can name your child the way you prefer," he turned to gave her an amused glance "unless you really want me to choose his name."_

_Yuki nodded, feeling a little awkward. "Yes, I…I wouldn't know which name I could choose. Besides…" she swallowed "I would have most likely gotten rid of him if it wasn't for you. This child owes you his life just as much as I do, so I think you have more right than anyone else to decide his name."_

_Sensei smiled warmly. "Thank you, Yuki – it is a great honour you're granting me," he said, his smile broadening as he glanced at her stomach "you know, someone once told me a man's destiny rests in the name – I better choose a name that will bring him good luck in his life, I guess."_

_Yuki grinned. "You really are the right person to choose it then."_

"_Let me think…" Sensei ran a hand through his beard, deep in thought "how about Michio?" he asked after a few minutes._

"_Michio," Yuki repeated with a small smile, resting her hand on her slightly swollen belly "it means 'man on the right path'."_

_Sensei nodded. "I cannot think of a better thing to wish someone than walking on the right path – with you guiding him, I'm sure he will become a better man than his father is."_

_Yuki nodded, an odd melancholy in her eyes. "I hope so. Michio it is, then."_

_There was a brief silence._

"_Tell me, Yuki – have you decided what you're going to tell him when he will ask you about his father?" the old man finally asked, watching her intently._

"_I'll tell him the truth when he's old enough, I guess."_

"_He might want to meet his father after knowing the truth."_

"_I wouldn't try to stop him. He has the right to meet his father if he wants to."_

"_Yet, you don't think Monkey Fist has the right to see his child before that moment."_

"_He lost every right over him the day he betrayed us both," she said, her voice as cold as ice._

"_He didn't know about the baby."_

_Yuki bit her lower lip, looking troubled. "You haven't seen his eyes as we fought that day – he was insane, Sensei. He was ready to destroy everything and everyone standing in his way. Do you really think he would have given up on his insane quest for power if he had known about the baby?" she asked, her voice shaking a little._

_Sensei shook his head. "No, back then he wouldn't – but he would now. People can change."_

_A bitter expression crossed Yuki's features. "That's what I thought when I decided to trust him, and it was a mistake. I won't let him hurt me or the child again."_


	38. Point of no return

________

Author's notes

_: this chapter was damn difficult to write – I couldn't focus enough on it, since my mind kept focusing on the next chapter instead: I've been dying to write it for months XD Don't know when I'll be able to update again, but I hope it will be soon enough – I can't wait to have it written._

_In the meanwhile, I hope you'll enjoy this one._

* * *

Mount Yamanouchi, Monkey Fist thought with a grimace.

How delightfully ironic – of all places on earth, the last part of the Obsidian Monkey was hidden in the only place were he could not retrieve it legally: the whole mountain was under the control of the Yamanouchi School, and Monkey Fist was certain Sensei would never accord him the permission to get anywhere near the idol – no matter how much he could try to convince them is intentions were honorable.

He knew the school was extremely careful with its secrets with anyone, let alone with him.

Yet, Monkey Fist thought as he sat in his library surrounded by dozens of ancient books and scrolls, why on earth should a part of the item be hidden there? He had never found evidence of any kind of contact between the Yamanouchi ninjas and the followers of the Monkey Kung Fu after the split in the year 338 AD, when Toshimiru and a few other Monkey Kung Fu followers had left the others and built the school on Mount Yamanouchi.

There had been terrible fights between the two factions after that split for the possession of the ancient relics, and much blood had been shed for them. Things had eventually settled down when they had reached an accord: Yamanouchi would keep the Lotus Blade, while the Monkey Kung Fu followers would keep the Jade Monkeys and the Obsidian Monkey. After that, there had been no other contact between them – and if such a thing had ever happened, it wasn't written in any record.

The monkey man frowned as he remembered a line he had read somewhere. He immediately grabbed the book about the Obsidian Monkey that had taken so much effort to translate and began to turn pages quickly, looking for the line stuck in his mind.

…_divided by a mighty blade._

Monkey Fist mentally cursed himself for not thinking about it before. Of course, now everything made sense! An obsidian item filled with Mystical Monkey Power couldn't be broken so easily. For the Jade Monkeys it had been different: each statue didn't have any power of its own, they could only create the power when placed together. But the Obsidian Monkey held all the power within itself, making it practically unbreakable – only a blade holding the same power the idol had could cut it.

So it wasn't surprising that at least one part of the idol was hidden on Mount Yamanouchi – the Lotus Blade was the 'mighty blade' that had divided the Obsidian Monkey into pieces! Why hadn't he thought about it earlier? He knew for certain that the idol had was still intact when the Lotus Blade had been taken by Toshimiru to create the Yamanouchi School, so that meant that the Yamanouchi ninjas and the Monkey Kung Fu warriors must have met again after a few centuries since Lotus Blade had been used to secretly cut the Obsidian Monkey into five pieces in order to make it easier hiding it.

He sighed, closing the book. This was very interesting, but it didn't answer to his main question – how could he retrieve the idol? Monkey Fist frowned as glanced at an ancient text about the history of the Yamanouchi School. Nothing, not a single word about the Obsidian Monkey. How could that be possible? If the school had the idol's head, it should have been mentioned somewhere on the ancient texts!

Unless…could it be that the location of the Obsidian Monkey's head was unknown to the school?

The thought hit him like a ton of bricks. As much as the Monkey Kung Fu followers' rivalry with the Yamanouchi ninjas and had died down over the centuries enough to make them cooperate to hide the Obsidian Monkey from the world, he doubted they would have ever left a part of their precious relic to them.

Then why hiding it on Mount Yamanouchi of all places?

Monkey Fist frowned in thought, taking a sip of tea. The Monkey Kung Fu warriors were well-known for being sly and cunning – the had to be a good reason for what they had done, and he needed to think as one of them to figure out a good reason.

After a few minutes, the frown left as a grin broadened on his face. Of course, why hadn't he thought about it? They had hidden the Obsidian Monkey's head on Mount Yamanouchi to make sure it would be well guarded. The Yamanouchi ninjas would keep intruders away not even realizing they were protecting another treasure besides the Lotus Blade.

It was clever, Monkey Fist had to admit – he knew well how satisfying it could be, making someone else do his bidding without even realizing it. Anyway, it made his quest even more difficult. It was obvious he would never get an excavation permission from Sensei, not to mention than even asking for it would have been a mistake: they most likely didn't even know about the relic on their mountain, and it was better this way. Should they find out, they would probably make sure it would be kept in some place where he couldn't get it.

Monkey Fist sighed as he finished his tea. It looked like he could no longer use law as shield: he was going to have to break it in order to get the idol. It was risky, of course, but he couldn't stop now that he was so close to his goal. Now that the Obsidian Monkey was almost complete, he could take the risk: if he could be quick enough to retrieve the item without being caught and put it together with the other parts, his power would be complete before they could do anything to stop him.

He would fulfil his destiny, and he would be unstoppable.

The monkey man frowned slightly as he looked at the ancient texts scattered on his desk. The other times he had just gathered the necessary information before going to look for the hiding places himself – it took less time and effort looking for the temples directly rather than studying the texts for days hoping to understand the exact location – but this time he needed to know exactly where the Obsidian Monkey's head was hidden before he got there. He was going to have to spend on Mount Yamanouchi the less time he could in order to retrieve the idol without too much risk of being caught.

He grinned. Finding out the exact location by studying the texts was going to take a while, but he was confident his efforts would pay. He had been a world famous explorer, after all: it wouldn't be the first time he guessed where a relic was located by studying all the information he had – and his guesses had always been right.

He had never failed doing that, and he wouldn't fail now.

As he put the empty cup back on the tray he felt somewhat uncomfortable for a few seconds, a part of his mind wondering what would have happened should things go wrong and should he face Yuki again while betraying her, then he shook his head almost angrily.

Whatever there had been between them was over – it _had_ to be over. He couldn't let anyone stand between him and his destiny now, not even her. Should she try to stop him, she would meet the same fate of his other enemies – he would show her no mercy.

It wouldn't be the first time he sacrificed something important in his quest to become the Ultimate Monkey Master after all – and now he was ready to sacrifice the last shreds of humanity he had left as well by destroying her if necessary, no matter how painful it could be. Fulfilling his destiny was more important.

He quickly pushed the thought back in the depths of his twisted mind as he turned his full attention to the texts again, his hands shaking even so slightly as he silently prayed whoever could hear him that she would be wise enough to not stand in his way.

* * *

**Two weeks later**

"Fine," Yuki growled, massaging her temples "let me remind you again – I am the teacher. You are the students. If anything, _I_ am the one to go easy on you – _not_ the other way around. That said, care to explain me why do you all keep acting as if I were made of glass?"

The students glanced uncomfortably to each other – they didn't like it when she glared at the that way, not at all. "We didn't mean to disrespect you, Yuki-sempai, we just…well…considering your current condition…"

Yuki held back a groan, taking a mental note to ask Sensei why did he exactly think it would be a good idea letting the students know she was expecting. Of course, nobody but a few knew the truth about the father of the child – namely the ones who knew where she had been until the month before – but the whole thing was starting to get on her nerves.

"Tomoko, I'm five weeks pregnant, not deathly ill – the day I won't be able to handle you anymore, I promise I'll go digging my own grave. But until that day – "

She trailed off as she heard the familiar sound of the gong announcing lunchtime. "Alright, let's go to eat something – then back to training. I want you to fight with all you have, and no excuses."

As the students went to eat, Yuki followed them with her gaze. Truth to be told, she was relieved by the fact none of them seemed to think about her pregnancy as something dishonourable. Of course, they didn't know who the father of the child was, but they didn't seem to care either. She knew that not too many years ago it would be unacceptable for a Yamanouchi ninja being expecting without being properly married – things had changed for the better since then.

"Yuki-sempai..."

"You better not be going to ask me how do I feel again, Yori," Yuki said a bit jokingly "if I hear that question one more time, I swear I'm going to throw myself from the peak of the mountain."

Yori chuckled. "I won't," she said "the students seemed to have taken it well."

"Yes, they did take it well. They didn't immediately assume I was raped or something," Yuki said with a grin. She was still a bit upset by how quickly Yori had jumped to the worst possible conclusion about Monty.

The younger girl blushed a little. "I'm sorry about that, Yuki-sempai – I didn't think you would ever…I mean…"

"No matter. Is there something wrong?"

"Well, I was wondering – since things seem to have settled down well here…do you think you're going to stay?"

Yuki gave an oddly melancholic smile. "I doubt Monty would be an ideal father, and he most likely doesn't even want to be one – I don't feel ready to have it either. Yamanouchi is my home, and I know I can count on everyone's help here. So…yes, it seems the best solution, but…"

"But?"

Yuki shook her head and sighed, her gaze distant and unfocused. "I miss him."

* * *

"Yes!"

Monkey Fist smirked, as he put aside the scroll with a satisfied sigh. He was awfully tired, but right now he felt like patting himself on the back – he knew where the head of the Obsidian Monkey was.

It was a clever hideout, he had to admit: the Monkey Kung Fu followers knew perfectly that the Yamanouchi ninjas rarely visited the eastern side of the mountain, where there was a shrine to commemorate all the warriors fallen during the battles between the two schools on that mountain.

It was a place full of painful memories, and nobody was willing to think about the worst pages in the school's history. Even now that the memory of those battles was almost lost, it was an unspoken tradition that the eastern side of Mount Yamanouchi was to be avoided, as if some kind of curse still lingered there. Besides, there was no real need to keep that side of the mountain under strict control – the school was extremely difficult to reach from that side.

If his theories were right – and they always were – the entrance to the subterranean cave temple where the head of the Obsidian Monkey had been hidden was located right under the shrine. He grinned at the thought – it was going to be easier than he has anticipated, considering how the Yamanouchi students avoided that place: they would understand what had happened too late to stop him…

…unless someone warned them.

The thought caused him to grimace. Though he hadn't seen them lately, he couldn't get rid of the sensation that Team Possible had been following him in each location he had been, waiting for him to make a wrong move. The previous times he hadn't been worried – there was nothing they could do against him anyway – but this time it was different: he was about to act illegally, and he couldn't take the risk of having them in his way.

He needed to think of a way to keep them busy as far as possible from Japan – and he already knew what to do. He grinned and grabbed the phone, feeling like giving himself a pat on the back for the second time in a few minutes as he began to dial a number.

"British Airlines," he heard a feminine voice at the other side of the line say "can I help you?"

"Yes, I would like to make a reservation – a ticket for…uh…" Monkey Fist paused and glanced at a map hanging on the wall "Greenland. Yes, I did say Greenland – the first flight, if possible…whatever airport would be fine. Tomorrow evening? Perfect, just perfect. Yes, a reservation for Lord Montgomery Fiske – yes, first class. I'll pay for the ticket tomorrow morning…yes, credit card. No, no return ticket. Thank you."

Monkey Fist smirked as he hung the phone – that was just perfect. Now he just needed to obtain excavation permission for Greenland – and he could obtain it effortlessly – and the next day he would pay for the ticket with his credit card, just to make sure Team Possible would follow the wrong trail and think he had gone in Greenland. He would go to Japan using a fake name while they would look for him in Greenland: he was confident the trick would keep them away from Yamanouchi long enough, since it would have taken them some time to realize the trick and track him down again.

Monkey Fist grinned and glanced to the parts of the Obsidian Monkey he had retrieved already. It would be too risky trying to get back in England with an item retrieved illegally; he hoped he could retrieve it without being noticed by the Yamanouchi ninjas, but should anything go wrong they had enough connections to prevent him from leaving Japan and have him arrested before he could manage to reunite all the parts of the Obsidian Monkey and become the Ultimate Monkey Master.

It would be much safer for him to bring the other parts with him in Japan instead – that was something he could do legally after all. He would leave them in a safe place, and he would be able to finally reunite al the pieces barely a few hours after he retrieve the last part.

And after he did…oh, he just wished they would try to stop him then! He would show them his power by wiping them away from history.

In his excitement, the thought this could put Yuki's life in danger as well didn't even cross mind; lost in his obsession, he seemed to have past the point of no return. An insane, high-pitched laughter echoed in the empty rooms if the castle, causing the monkey ninjas to cringe – they all knew that laughter could mean only one thing: trouble.

* * *

"What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim Possible asked as she stared at the Kimmunicator, trying to not look at Ron as he ate. She should have gotten used to it, but she still felt a little sick as she watched him eating the fifth naco.

"I have news about Monkey Fist," Wade's words caused Ron to shudder and choke on his naco, while Kim narrowed her eyes – she had been waiting for a chance to get him back since their confrontation in Libya the previous month.

"Spit it out."

"It's something you may be interested about," Wade answered from the screen, typing something on the keyboard "he bought a ticket for Greenland, and he has and excavation permission…"

"As usual," Ron brushed away some crumbles from his shirt "we can do nothing if he has an excavation permission, dude – and I'm not following him again for no reason. The desert was hot, the lake was chilling, I froze my butt in Himalaya, and those lemurs were crazy," Ron shuddered at the memory, and so did Rufus.

"He has a point," Kim admitted unwillingly "but maybe you have good news this time," she added with a smile as he noticed Wade's satisfied expression.

"Positive," the boy answered "you see, Monkey Fist bought the ticket and everything…but he's not on that plane. According to the microchip tracker you put in the bag with his excavation instruments in Libya, he has taken another flight – he probably used a fake name."

Ron blinked. "Why did he buy a ticked for a flight he wouldn't take?" he asked, confused.

"To keep us off his back," Kim said, snapping her fingers "and we would have fallen in the trick if it wasn't for the microchip – he must be up to no good again. Wade, can you check where is his flight going?"

"Already done," the boy folded his arms, a proud expression on his chubby face "he's going to Japan, and the airport is just a few miles from Mount Yamanouchi – I bet he's going there, but I'll keep you informed anyway. And guess what?"

A grin appeared on Ron's face "No excavation permission?" he guessed.

"Exactly. He might be there for reasons unrelated to work, but the fact he tried to prevent anyone from following him makes the whole thing even more suspicious than it would usually be – and whatever he could be looking for on Mount Yamanouchi…"

"…it belongs to the school," Kim finished "taking anything away from that mountain would be stealing…well, it's not like that it ever stopped him. We have to go to Yamanouchi right away, Wade. Can you get us a lift?"

"Done," was the answer as a jet landed just outside Bueno Nacho.

Kim grinned. "You rock, Wade," she said as she grabbed Ron and dragged him outside, deaf to his whining about what an awful waste it was leaving the last naco unfinished.


	39. Once a lover, twice an enemy

_Author's notes__: wow, I can't believe I finally reach this point XD It took like…twice the time I thought when I began writing, but here we are. I'm not completely satisfied with the outcome, but I rarely are. Thanks to _**VampireNaomi **_and _**Spicyweasel **_for the advice of splitting the chapter in two – there would have been too much stuff to chew for the reader if I didn't._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"What does it mean, 'broken'?"

"The engine crashed," the man explained, observing a few wires "I told them it was time to check this thing again, but would they listen? No, the wouldn't…" he grunted "we have to wait a few hours for someone to deliver us the spare parts to make this thing work again. I'm sorry, Miss Possible."

Kim groaned. They couldn't afford to lose so much time, but Wade couldn't find anyone that could come to take them from the small island where they had been forced to land in less than three or four hours. She turned to Ron, who was leaning against a palm tree with Rufus on his shoulder, drinking from a coconut, clearly enjoying the unexpected turn of events.

"You know, you could at least _pretend_ you're worried," she muttered, sitting next to him.

"Why should I? The spare parts are coming in a few hours, and in the meanwhile we're stuck in a tropical paradise instead of fighting monkeys – it could be worse. A coconut?"

Kim rolled her eyes. "I was referring to Monkey Fist," she said "he might be on Mount Yamanouchi as we speak, and we have no way to warn Sensei and his ninjas…"

"How about holograms?"

"Uhu?"

"Do you remember when Wade created an hologram for you, when we…well, when I and the holo-Kim went to the freak's castle? You could ask Wade to create a hologram for you and project it on Mount Yamanouchi to warn Sensei? At least, the would know he's up to something and they could try to stop him until we're there."

Kim blinked. "You're a genius, Ron!" she exclaimed as she grabbed the Kimmunicator "Wade, we need you to do something…"

Ron gave a wide grin and turned to Rufus. "Did you heard her, buddy? I'm a…hey, that was my coconut!"

* * *

The old man frowned slightly as he sensed presence near him. No, not a real presence…more like a disturbance in the air. He opened his eyes to see Kim Possible standing on the other side of his meditation room.

"I'm honoured by your presence, Kim Possible," Sensei said quietly as she approached "though I do realize you're not physically here, I dare to hope you will soon enough."

"Yes, both me and Ron will be here in a few hours. We created a hologram to warn you before."

"It will be a great honour for us to have Stoppable-san in our school again. Tell me, what is it that brings you here?"

"It's about Monkey Fist," Kim said, causing Sensei to grimace slightly "he's here on Mount Yamanouchi, and we have reasons to think he's up to no good."

Sensei frowned. "Do you think he's looking for the Lotus Blade again?" he asked "how does he know the sword is still in the school? He thought it was lost…"

"We think he's looking for something else, but we still don't know what. You never gave him the permission to look for ancient stuff on this mountain, right?"

"No, I never did."

"Then he's breaking law," Kim said, a hint of triumph in her voice "we may need your help to find him before it's too late – the microchip tracker's batteries died down, and we can't locate him. We only had time to see he was climbing up the mountain. Can you try to find him before our arrival?"

"Of course we will – if he's up to something evil, it will be our honour helping you to stop him."

As the hologram vanished Sensei got on his feet and left the meditation room – they needed to move immediately. He would reunite his best students in the yard, divide them in groups, and send them to look for Monkey Fist around the mountain – they couldn't let him steal anything from Mount Yamanouchi. A worried expression crossed his features as he thought of how much it would hurt Yuki knowing she had been wrong about him.

* * *

Yuki closed her eyes as she listened Sensei giving the others instructions, her heart aching at each word the old man spoke. The thought Monkey Fist had lied to her the whole time was horrible, and the fact she was responsible of the current situation was possibly even worse. She felt hurt, betrayed, enraged, and guilty.

_I was wrong about him – the ones like him cannot change. He only lied to me, and I let him manipulate my judgement. I shouldn't have trusted him – how could he? He didn't just lie to me about hid intentions, he also…_

Yuki held her tears, trying to put order in her confused thoughts.

_Why? Why did he pretend to love me? How could he just use my feelings just for his bidding? Do I mean so little to him?_

"Each group will search a different part of the mountain," Sensei was saying "don't get separated by your groups, and don't try to face him alone," he emphasized the last part "when you'll find him, one of the group will have to warn the closest group for help. Now go, and be careful."

Sensei turned to Yori and Hirotaka as the other ninjas left. "You two will come with me," he said "wait for me at the bridge, I'll come immediately."

He watched them walk away and sighed as he sensed the presence behind him. "This is not your fault, Yuki."

"Yes, it is," Yuki's voice was trembling despite her attempts to control it "I shouldn't have trusted him. Hadn't I let my feelings influence my judgement, we wouldn't have come to this. We would have been prepared."

Sensei turned to face her, and the pain on her face painfully struck him. "I told you, you cannot win when the enemy you must fight is your own heart. Besides, we wouldn't have been able to do anything against he – he didn't break any law until now. Nobody blames you."

"But I do," Yuki swallowed "please, let me come with you. I want to help you to stop him."

The old man shook his head. "It would be too risky – you are too involved emotionally, Yuki. You could make a mistake."

"I already did my worst mistake," she said bitterly "please, let me try to stop him." There was a part of her that still hoped against hope that he hadn't completely lied to her. There was a part of her that stubbornly refused to accept it, clinging to the hope he did care for her and that she could make him change his mind somehow.

"I'm sorry, Yuki. It's just to protect you and your child – I don't want you to get hurt."

Yuki was taken aback by his reply – did he really think Monkey Fist could hurt her to get what he wanted?

_Do you really think he wouldn't?_

"But…"

"No buts," Sensei replied sternly as he turned, then he said something he hadn't said since when she was a child "it's for your own good."

* * *

Things had been surprisingly easy until that point, Monkey Fist mused as he approached the stone shrine – no ninja had showed up to spoil his plans, and Team Possible was most likely looking for him in Greenland. The monkey man sneered at the thought and turned his attention back to the shrine.

It was so old that most of the names written in the stone where no longer readable, but he wasn't interested in them. He ran his simian hand on the side of the shrine, and his grin widened as he felt a something move under his fingers. He pressed, and there was a loud clack as the shrine moved aside, revealing the large gaping hole beneath – the entrance to the subterranean cave temple in which the Obsidian Monkey's head was hidden.

"Yes!"

As the monkey ninjas followed him inside the cave, Chippy swallowed the last banana, making sure none of his companions was looking at him. He didn't think they would report his behaviour to the master, but you can never be too sure – and the master would get terribly angry should he find out he had been snacking on the job again.

* * *

_You know, I can't help but think you're doing something extremely stupid. Not that it surprises me._

Yuki shook her head to get rid of such thoughts as she kept walking, looking for any clue of Monkey Fist's presence.

_Do you really think you can face him alone? You know him, he would cheat – and he always wins when he does. Four hands, remember? Besides, he surely brought his monkey ninjas with him, and in case you forgot that detail, they don't just cook, bake or serve you breakfast. They can fight. _

_Maybe I can convince him. Maybe he would listen; maybe he hasn't always lied to me…_

_Keep dreaming._

_Shut up._

Yuki stopped walking as something caught her attention – something yellow that contrasted on the white snow a few feet from her. She approached to take a better look, and she blinked as she recognized what it was: a banana peel.

Yuki looked around, and she noticed there were several other banana peels around, leading to the eastern side of the mountain. Could that be a trap, a fake trail? Yet, she could remember Monty often complained about one of his monkey ninjas in particular for the habit of eating during training – even during mission, he had told her. Could it be that the monkey hadn't lost that habit?

_Fake or not, it's the only trail you have to follow._

_True enough._

Yuki began to run towards the eastern side of Mount Yamanouchi, the thought of calling for help not even crossing her mind.

* * *

Monkey Fist turned on the torch and glanced around – the cave seemed to be empty, and for a moment he wondered if he hadn't made a mistake, then he noticed the tunnel a few feet from him. It looked like the cave was bigger than he had thought. He grinned and turned to his monkey ninjas.

"Stay here," he ordered, "I can go ahead by myself. Should anyone come inside to snoop around, make sure they won't leave," he said, then he and began walking in the tunnel, his heart beating faster in anticipation.

* * *

"Uhu?" Yuki blinked as she approached the shrine – it had been somehow moved from its usual position, and now she could see the gaping hole on the ground where the shrine usually was.

And the banana peel trail led just inside. Yuki approached to the entrance, and she heard a familiar squealing – the monkey ninjas.

_There you are._

Yuki took a deep breath and dropped inside, immediately taking a fighting stance as she heard an alarmed squeal. Squinting in the dim light, she could see that the monkey ninjas were circling her – but there was no sign of Monkey Fist anywhere. Either that was a trap, or he had left his minions at the entrance of the cave to make sure nobody would follow him or report his position.

There was only one way to find out.

"Nothing personal, guys," she said as she go ready to fight "but I have to get past you."

* * *

He honestly couldn't tell how long he had been walking through that tunnel – probably minutes, but it seemed like hours to him. The tunnel seemed to be getting longer and longer, therefore he gave a sigh of relief as the tunnel ended and he got inside another cave, much larger than the previous one.

"Finally!" Monkey Fist laughed maniacally as he finally spotted the Obsidian Monkey's head resting on a simple stone shrine, its lifeless eyes staring at him. At long last, his destiny was about to be fulfilled – he would be the Ultimate Monkey Master, like it was meant to be. He reached out for the relic, his simian fingers almost touching its smooth surface…

"Monkey Fist."

The monkey man's smile froze on his lips, his blood running cold as the icy voice reached him. It took him a moment to realize who it was – Yuki had never referred to him as 'Monkey Fist' since the first day they had met. He had always been just Monty to her.

_Until now. Now you are just an enemy to her._

For a moment he just stood still, his hand still reaching for the relic, a sense of dread spreading in his mind – how did she found him? Why _her_, of all people? Then he glanced down at the obsidian item and grimaced. How could she find him wasn't relevant now – the only thing that mattered was the relic on the shrine. He was closer to achieve his goal than he had been in years: he wouldn't let her or anyone stop him now. He gritted his teeth and finally turned to face her.

Nothing, however, could have prepared him to the look of utter disgust and rage on Yuki's face – she was looking at him as if he was the most spiteful creature on earth…and to her, he probably was. He felt a sharp pain in his chest – but what was he expecting? He knew she would hate him, he had always known that.

"Yuki," he said calmly, a fake smile on his face "what a pleasant surprise. How did you get past my monkey ninjas?"

"I put them to sleep for a while," Yuki said coldly "you really should train them better."

"I'll keep that in mind."

There was a brief, tense silence as they glared at each other, neither of them wanting to speak first. Yuki tried to fight back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes, a part of her desperately hoping he would say something, anything to justify himself – but he just kept staring at her with a cold, steely gaze, as if he didn't owe her any explanation.

"I should have known better than trusting you," Yuki finally said, her voice shaking with rage and pain "it was your plan since the beginning, wasn't it?" a sob suddenly wracked her chest, tears blurring her sight against her own will as she clenched her teeth and desperately tried to ignore her aching heart, hating herself for the weakness she was showing "_wasn't it?!_"

Monkey Fist bit his lower lip hard enough to make it bleed, trying to fight his own emotions – it had hurt him seeing how disgusted she was by him, but watching her cry because of him was much, much worse.

_Hate me if you must, despise me – but don't cry. I can't stand it._

"Answer to me!"

_You knew you would break her heart, you knew you might have to hurt her – but it's late for remorse, don't you think? You cannot feel remorse, not now, close as you are to your goal. It would be a weakness, an unforgivable mistake._

"It was," he finally heard himself say, his voice unnaturally calm "and it worked, didn't it?"

Yuki took a step back, as if physically hit by those words – until the last second, she had hoped she had been wrong. "Then you used me," she whispered, rage once again replacing the pain in her voice as she watched them man she had loved, the father of her unborn child smirk at her in triumph "you've been just using me all this time."

_It's better for her to believe it. It's better for both of you._

Monkey Fist nodded, a smirk broadening in his face despite the horrible heaviness in his heart. He had lied many times before…but this time it hurt so much more. "Of course," he said almost casually "did you really believe there could be anything between us? You're even more foolish than I thought. Did you actually think you could mean anything to me in my quest to get what's rightfully mine?" he forced himself to sneer – he wanted…no, he _needed_ her to hate him. It would have made things easier for both. "You poor little fool. You were nothing but a worthless pawn in my plan since the beginning – I wanted your trust, and I obtained it effortlessly. I must admit you surprised me in a way – I'd never thought things would have gone so far. How dishonourable, a ninja willingly giving herself to an enemy…"

As he spoke, Yuki felt like her soul was being torn apart. Yori was right then – he really was black hearted, and love was something he was incapable of. He had coldly, uncaring used her and her feelings to obtain what he wanted before betraying her – and now there he was, smirking and rubbing it in her face. What a fool she had been, believing people like him could actually change!

She gritted her teeth, hatred burning in her eyes as he spoke his last insult. "You are the only one who has no honour left here, Monkey Fist," she spat out the name he had chosen for himself as if it was poison "you truly have no soul. Pitiful, foolish man."

Monkey Fist shrugged at her last words. "Call me the way you prefer," he said smoothly "but I highly suggest you to not stand in my way – I will show no mercy to my enemies."

Yuki took a fighting stance, her onyx black eyes fixed on him, a scowl on her face "Neither will I."

He narrowed his eyes. "I have no interest in harming you. Step aside, and I might spare your life."

"You know I won't. Besides, you already did your worst – there isn't much more you can do to hurt me," Yuki said coldly.

Monkey Fist seemed to hesitate for a moment, then he just nodded and dropped in a fighting stance. He was ready to fight her, to kill her if he had to – but he had hoped with all his blackened soul it wouldn't be necessary.

"As you wish."

Yuki's attack was so quick he almost didn't see it coming. He ducked under her blow and tried to hit her, but she dropped on the ground and kicked his knee, causing him to lose his balance. Yuki took advantage of the moment and tried to hit him again, but this time he blocked her blow by grabbing her wrist and flung her across the room. Yuki bounced on the wall, then she bounced off, delivering a powerful kick to his stomach.

The monkey man gasped for air as he was flung against the shrine. He was about to get up when he heard a clicking noise that filled him with dread – the trap had been triggered. He jumped backwards as the cave began to shake and collapse on itself, barely avoiding a rock that smashed in the spot he had been seconds earlier, and immediately turned to the shrine as the ground began to shake. A crack was opening on the ground beneath the shrine, and both the shrine and the Obsidian Monkey's head began to sink into the widening chasm.

"No!" Monkey Fist cried out as he leapt forward, trying to reach for the item before it fell into the chasm…"Ow!" he let out a groan as Yuki tripped him, causing him to fall face first on he shaking ground. He raised his gaze just in time to see the Obsidian Monkey's head one last time before it fell off the shrine and inside the chasm.

_Lost_.

A low growl erupted from Monkey Fist's throat as he got up slowly, uncaring of the fact the cave was collapsing in them as he kept staring at the empty shrine with bloodshot eyes, his blood boiling with rage. It was the second time his plans were spoiled on that cursed mountain, the second time he lost an invaluable artifact while so close to his ultimate goal.

But _this_ time, somebody would pay.

"You!"

Yuki took a step back as Monkey Fist howled in fury and turned to face her, terrified by the furious look in his eyes – for the first time, she could see insanity in those eyes: he was nothing like the man she had fallen in love with.

_This is not the man I know._

_The man you knew never existed. _

She just stood there for a moment, petrified, unable to move as Monkey Fist let out a terrifying cry of rage and attacked.

_Yuki, move!_

She dodged at the last second, Monkey Fists' hand narrowly missing her throat, but he turned and managed to hit her side, causing her to fall on the ground with a cry of pain. Yuki looked up at him, and much to her horror she realized that the first blow would have killed her immediately if she hadn't dodged it. He was really trying to _kill_ her – Yori had been right all the time, he truly was a monster.

"There is no escape from here, Yuki," Monkey Fist gave a maniacal laugh as he walked closer, towering over her. She seemed too shocked by the realization he was ready to kill her that she couldn't bring herself to move – she could just stare at him with wide eyes as he approached. Despite his evident rage he walked towards her slowly, as if wanting to savour the moment, and insane grin on his face. His hands kept clenching as if he was impatient to wrap them around her neck, to choke the living daylights out of her. How could those hands be the same ones who had so often stroked her hair as they lay next to each other in the dark? The thought chilled her to the bones.

The cave was still collapsing around them, rocks falling from the ceiling and crashing on the ground, but he was unaware of everything besides his desire of revenge. Thus he failed to see the large rock falling just above his head – but Yuki didn't.

A thousand thoughts ran through her mind a split of second. If she just stood there doing nothing, the rock would have surely killed Monkey Fist instantly. Letting it happen would have been the most logical thing to do – he was trying to kill her, after all – but she refused to let it happen. Just watching him being crushed under tons of stone without even trying to help him would have been like killing him herself, and she wouldn't lower herself to his level.

She was nothing like him.

Without another thought, Yuki got up and ran forward, pushing him out of the way. Monkey Fist let out a surprised gasp as they fell in different directions, the rock shattering on the ground just a few feet from them. One of the pieces hit Monkey Fist's head, causing him to feel dizzy and his vision to blur. For a moment could faintly see Yuki falling a few feet from him, using both her hands to shield her stomach as the cave kept collapsing on itself, then everything went black.


	40. Sympathy for the devil

_Author's notes__: and now the two timelines finally merged! Yup, after forty chapters we're back to the beginning XD Well, not really, but you get what I mean. The last scene is basically a retelling of a part of the epilogue mostly from Monkey Fist's point of view – and if you've read until now, you all know what after that scene already._

_So the next chapter (when I'll be able to write it :P) will be set directly after the last flashforward. I won't use Italics as I usually do since now that the two timelines merged there is no longer need of "flashbacks" and "flashforwards". I'm going to miss those XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Monkey Fist let out a groan as he slowly went back to consciousness. He coughed, a rattling sound coming from his chest as a thin stream of blood coursed from between his lips and filled his mouth with an unpleasant taste – he had some broken ribs, no doubt, and he hurt everywhere.

He opened his eyes and tried to glance around. His vision was blurred due to the dust that had gone in his eyes as the cave collapsed, but he could indeed see that the cave had only partially collapsed – the trap had been compromised by centuries of inactivity. He listened intently, but there was no other sound besides his wheezing breathing – Yuki must have left to warn the others about his presence.

Monkey Fist wondered how much time had passed already – it couldn't be much, since Yuki wasn't back with the other Yamanouchi ninjas yet. He let out a low growl of rage as he thought about what had happened – he had been so close, and he had lost the relic because of her! If it hadn't been for her, he would be the Monkey Master already – she would pay for that, and she would pay dearly. She was going to regret standing in his way!

He snorted and pushed the thought of revenge aside – tempting as it was, he had no time to worry about it right now: it could be a matter of minutes before the came to get him. He needed to get away from there as soon as he could.

Blinking in the attempt to see better, he studied his surroundings. Besides the smaller ones that had caused most of his wounds, there was a large rock keeping him pinned to the ground – thankfully the other rocks that had fallen mostly supported its weigh, or else it would have crushed him instead of just breaking a few ribs.

The monkey man tried to push the rock away from him, succeeding to move it just enough to crawl away from under it, panting for breath, his still unbroken limbs hurting for the strain. It took him a couple of attempts to stand up, cringing in pain, and he let out a sigh of relief as he stood on his feet again – at least his legs were not broken, though they were shaking and weak. His ninja garb was ripped badly, revealing most of the deep bleeding wounds on his upped body.

He let out a hiss of pain as his hand clutched on a large wound on his left side – he had to find a doctor before he could suffer severe damage due to the blood loss. He coughed again as another clot of blood came to his throat.

"Case in point," he muttered to himself. He tried to walk leaning against a wall, but he felt a sharp pain at his left ankle and fell on the ground with a strangled cry of pain. He let out a frustrated snarl as he somehow managed to crawl onwards – how was he supposed to leave Mount Yamanouchi in that condition? He could barely walk without support, and he couldn't crawl in the snow for long. He had already lost too much blood, and losing his senses in the snow with that weather would have most likely killed him.

Trying to get away from there by himself could cost him his life.

He furiously gritted his teeth, trying to figure out what he should do. He couldn't expect any help by his monkey ninjas – they had most likely fled by now, he thought with a grimace. If he stayed, it would be a matter of minutes before Sensei and his students were there for him – they could provide him medical help, but he could just imagine Yuki's satisfied expression at watching him as a prisoner, finally getting him back for what he had done to her.

He would die trying to get away from there rather than giving her the satisfaction to see him helpless in the hands of his enemies!

He leaned against the wall for support and began to struggle to his feet again, his teeth gritted for the pain, when something suddenly caught his eye. He squinted to look better, and his attempts to get up immediately ceased as his whole body suddenly went numb and his eyes widened in shock.

"Yuki," he called quietly, his mind blank as he watched her body lying on the ground, partially covered by the rocks that had fallen from the ceiling. She was terribly pale, her eyes shut, and she was completely still. Monkey Fist squinted again, but his vision was still too blurry to see if she was breathing or not. No, it couldn't be…she couldn't be…no, she couldn't!

But dear God, she was so pale…

"Yuki…?" Monkey Fist called again, a hint of panic breaking in his voice – he could find none of the rage that had filled him just moments before. He crawled closer to her still form and reached for her cheek., and he trembled as he felt just how cold she was against his fingers. She had a deep cut on her left temple, and her hands were still resting on her stomach – why had she protected her stomach rather than shielding her head from the rocks falling from above? Why had she done such a stupid thing?

"No," he said, his voice now shaking as his fingers brushed against her cheek "no, this isn't happening. This can't be happening. Wake up!" he was almost screaming now, shaking her, desperate for a response – any kind of response "wake up! Do something!"

No answer came from Yuki, and unspeakable dread filled Monkey Fist's mind.

_She's gone._

"No!" the monkey man growled as he began tossing aside the rocks upon Yuki, deaf to the protests of his own battered body "she isn't. She can't be!"

_She is. She died because of you._

Monkey Fist desperately shook his head to keep those thoughts away form his mind as he cradled her in his arms, brushing her hair away from her face to look at her. He should have checked her pulse, her breath, something – but he couldn't bring himself to do so: he was terrified by the idea of checking for her pulse and finding none.

The mere thought caused him to cringe.

"Wake up," he said commandingly despite his trembling voice as he stared at her closed eyelids, praying for her eyes to open "Yuki, can you hear me? Look at me!" he shouted almost angrily as he shook her limp body "look at me, I said!"

No answer.

_What's the matter with you? Isn't this what you wanted? Didn't you want revenge? The thought of killing her didn't seem to bother you too much…_

"This is not what I wanted," he whispered to no one in particular, staring at her face. He reached to stoke her cheek once again. "I never wanted…I never thought…"

_But you did want her dead. You tried to kill her barely minutes, maybe hours ago. And just a few moments back, you were still thinking about revenge._

He whimpered and held her tighter to his injured chest, closing his eyes. Her cheek felt awfully cold against his skin, but not nearly as cold as he felt inside. "I was out of my mind, I wasn't thinking!" he chocked back a sob, ignoring the excruciating pain at his ribs "God, what have I let myself become? What have I done?"

_You just got your revenge. But it doesn't taste as sweet as you thought it would, does it?_

No, it didn't. He felt none of the triumph he had thought he would feel when he had tried to end her life for revenge – he just felt a horrible sense of loss and guilt pervading his soul, and an unbearable pain that was far worse than any physical pain he had ever endured.

_I never wanted this to happen._

Monkey Fist swallowed and opened his eyes, starting to feel weaker and weaker, but his grip on Yuki didn't loosen he pulled back to look at her face. "Please," he said wearily "please, wake up. Speak to me, say anything you want, curse me, I don't care. But please, wake up. I beg you…" he let out a rasping sob as he rested his forehead against hers "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

* * *

"Sensei, look! The shrine!" Yori exclaimed, pointing at the shrine a few feet away – it had been somehow moved from its usual position, and now she could see the gaping hole beneath.

The old man frowned as he followed her gaze. "Well done, Yori – it must be there that the item Monkey Fist is looking for is. I never knew about that passage."

"Do you think he left already?" Hirotaka asked as they carefully approached the shrine.

"There is just one way to find out, I guess," Sensei said quietly "Hirotaka, go to call some help – he could have gotten the power already. Yori, come inside with me."

"But, Sensei…" Hirotaka seemed unsure.

"We'll be fine, don't worry. Now go."

As Hirotaka left to find help, Yori and Sensei walked inside the hidden cave, ready to fight any enemy that could attack.

"His monkey ninjas," Yori said as she watched the monkeys lying on the ground, apparently unconscious "what happened here?"

Sensei frowned. "Somebody else has been here besides them and their master," he said with a worried looks on his face – he had an idea of who it could be "there is a tunnel there – let's go."

"How could we be unaware of this place?" Yori asked as they kept walking in that apparently endless tunnel.

Sense shrugged. "Mount Yamanouchi holds many secrets," he just said as he suddenly stopped walking, observing the rocks that blocked the way "this part must have collapsed recently. Stay back, Yori."

As the girl stepped back, Sensei just hit a small rock, breaking it easily. Without that rock to support the others the wall of rocks crumbled to the ground, revealing another cave beneath. It had partially collapsed, but Sensei could still see the shrine where the relic Monkey Fist was looking for must have been – it was empty. Maybe it was too late, and he had already left the mountain with the precious item…

"Sensei!"

The old man turned as he hears Yori calling him – she had a terrified expression, and she was staring at something he couldn't see from his position because of a pile of rocks. He walked closer to the girl and followed her gaze, and he felt his own blood running cold at the sight.

Among the ravines of the cave, there was Monkey Fist. He was knelt on the ground, clearly injuried, Yuki's apparently lifeless body cradled in his arms. His eyes, fixed on Yuki's pale face, were dazed and unfocused, and he was apparently unaware of their presence.

Whatever had happened in that cave, something must have gone horribly wrong. Sensei felt a horrible pang of guilt – why hadn't he thought about the possibility Yuki would try to hunt him down by herself? He should have seen that coming, for it wasn't much different from the mistake he had done himself so many years before. It was just so obvious – why hadn't he thought about it?

Yori was the first one to recover from the shock. "Yuki-sempai!" she exclaimed, stepping forward, but she stopped as Sensei grabbed her arm.

"Wait."

The girl turned to look at him, scared and confused, but she didn't question him. Under normal circumstances, she would have immediately assumed Monkey Fist was to be held only responsible for whatever had happened to Yuki – he had used her, after all. But the way he was holding her in his arms, staring at her with a look of utter despair on his face…it was something you would never expect from a villain, much less from Monkey Fist. Yori just lowered her gaze and waited to see what Sensei was planning to do, praying for both Yuki and the child in her womb to be alright.

The old man stepped forward, stopping a few feet from Monkey Fist, who still gave no sign to acknowledge his presence. "Monkey Fist," he called "can you hear me?"

No answer.

Sensei took another step forward. "We want to help you, Monkey Fist. Let us help both of you."

The monkey man kept staring blankly at Yuki, but his grip around her tensed ever so slightly as Sensei approached. So he wasn't completely unaware of his presence, but he was too shocked and confused to react…and Sensei was afraid that abruptly snapping him out of his confusion would cause unpleasant reactions – it was obvious that Monkey Fist wasn't thinking clearly.

He was about to speak again when Hirotaka got inside the cave, followed by a few hooded ninjas. "I've found some help, Sensei, and others are–" he trailed off at the sight in front of him "…what happened here?" he asked, bewildered.

"That's what we're trying to understand," Sensei said quietly, glancing at Monkey Fist – he still seemed oblivious of what was happening around him "I must ask you to just stay where you are and don't do anything rushed…Tomoko, don't!"

Too late – one of the ninjas, maybe too eager to act or maybe too shaken by the sight of Yuki's limp body to think, had already rushed to take her away from Monkey Fist's grasp.

A terrifying, inhuman cry of rage suddenly filled the cave as the student who had tried to retrieve Yuki's body was hit by a powerful blow and crashed against the nearest wall – Monkey Fist seemed to have snapped out of his trance. He stood up in a sudden burst of strength, suddenly unaware of the pain, growling like the animal he had tried so hard to become, and he tried to attack the student again. Hirotaka and four other ninjas were on him all at once to protect their companion, and Yori and Sensei took advantage of the situation to approach Yuki's body.

"Yuki-sempai?" the girl called, her voice shaking "can you hear me?"

"She obviously cannot," Sensei just said as he checked her pulse. For a moment he felt nothing, then he was most relieved to find out there was a pulse. It was weak, but her heart was still beating "She'll be fine," he reassured Yori "but I'm not sure he will."

They turned to watch the fight between Monkey Fist and the other ninjas. It was an unfair fight, but it was clear the monkey man wouldn't give up easily. He seemed too out of his mind to fight properly – he would fight off his opponents like a wild animal would do, uncaring of his wounds, uncaring o the blows that hit him. Every thought of self-conservation seemed to be gone with his self-control, and Sensei's students just didn't seem able to overcome him.

The chance came as Hirotaka delivered a vicious roundhouse to his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain and to stop fighting for a moment, a loud snap indicating his collarbone had been broken. The ninjas took advantage of this and they finally managed to overcome him, forcing him on his knees as four of them held him. Hirotaka slid behind him and raised his hand, ready to hit him – but Monkey Fist kept growling and trashing, trying to break free from the ninjas' grasp, and the risk to hit one of his companions instead was too great.

"It's useless, Monkey Fist," Sensei's collected voice echoed in the cave, causing him to suddenly stop squirming and look at him. The old man was knelt near Yuki's body, with Yori by his side, and the look of pity the old man gave him chilled Monkey Fist to the bones.

"She's gone."

Monkey Fist found himself unable to think for a few moments as Sensei's words sank in his brain.

_Gone._

"No," he whispered hoarsely, a clear trace of despair in his voice "you're lying."

Sensei gestured to Yuki's limp body. "Can't you see it? Her spirit has left this world," the old man lied as he watched him intently. He saw the monkey man's shoulders shake, he saw hope leave his eyes as his words hit him like a stab – Yuki was gone, truly gone, and it had been his fault.

He had killed her.

A mournful cry echoed in the cave – later that day, several Yamanouchi students would have sworn they had heard it from the other side of the mountain. Monkey Fist tried once again to break free from the ninjas' grasp, trying to reach for Yuki, but Hirotaka's hand finally hit the back of his neck, and for the second time that day everything went blissfully black.

Sensei nodded to himself as Monkey Fist's body went limp. "Well done," he said to his students "now let's get him to the school – he needs shelter and medical help."

"Medical help?" one of the students repeated, sounding almost outraged "he deserves nothing but death. I say we should kill him now."

Hirotaka narrowed his eyes as he looked at the one who had spoken. "Watch your tongue, Toshio – we never killed enemies in centuries, and we won't start again now."

"Had we killed him already when he tried to steal the Lotus Blade, Yuki-sempai would still be alive!" he replied, and another couple of students nodded at his words.

"She is alive – Sensei just wanted Monkey Fist to believe she was dead," Yori said, a disgusted expression on her face that matched Hirotaka's "since when do you crave for blood, Toshio?"

"But he still tried to steal from our mountain, attacked one of us and he tried to kill Yuki-sempai," the student said, staring down at Monkey Fist's unconscious form with hate "we should just leave him here to die. He doesn't deserve any kind of help from us."

"He probably doesn't deserve it," Sensei said sternly "but we're not going to deny our help to an injuried enemy. Your words dishonour Yamanouchi's name – you're nothing better than him."

Toshio shuddered at the harsh remark and lowered his eyes. The old man turned to the others. "Let's bring them to the school," he said, turning to leave "when they'll awake, we'll know exactly what happened here."

"Tell us, Sensei," Hirotaka said as he picked up Yuki while the other students dealt with Monkey Fist "why did you want him to believe she was dead?"

"It was the only way I could think of to make him stop hurting you and himself further. Besides, I need him to keep believe she's gone for another while. It will help him to learn his lesson – I have some plans for him. Speaking of which, we have a tombstone to place once we're back to the school…"

* * *

"It's nothing serious," the doctor said as he checked Yuki's pulse again "just a bad blow on the head. She may be unconscious for a day or two and she might feel a bit dizzy and sleepy for a while, but other than that she'll be fine."

Sensei nodded. "I'm most relieved to know that. What about the child?"

The other ninja shrugged. "Just let her rest, and there will be no risk of miscarriage, and no consequences for the baby. Do you want me to check Monkey Fist too?"

"Not now – his wounds stopped bleeding, so he's not in immediate danger. He can wait until tomorrow morning," he said, a sharp edge in his voice "he will have time to think over what he has done. Speaking of which, I need you to do something tomorrow – I need you to let him escape from his cell."

The ninja blinked. "Are you being serious?"

"Of course. I want him to see the tombstone by himself, before anyone else tells him Yuki's dead. It will be the best way to make him believe she's truly gone – he will have no doubts after that. Just make sure to mention the location of the tombstone in front of his cell, and make sure he can hear you as you do."

"Is this the punishment you've thought up for him, making him believe both Yuki and their child are gone?" Yori asked, feeling sympathy for Monkey Fist for the first…well, for the second time in her life. That punishment seemed too harsh even to her, no matter how much she loathed that man.

"It's both his punishment and the beginning of his journey. People like him need to suffer from their mistakes to learn from them."

"Sensei?"  
The old man paused and turned to the student who had opened the door. "Yes?"

"Stoppable-san is here."

* * *

"Stoppable-san!" Yori exclaimed as Kim and Ron approached "I'm so glad to see you!"

"Yes, we're really glad too," Kim said a little too quickly, immediately stepping between Yori and Ron with an exaggerated smile "aren't we, Ron?"

"Of course," Ron said, grinning sheepishly under Kim's gaze – was it just him, or Kim seemed a little wary everytime they met Yori?

_I'll never get women._

"Kim Possible, Stoppable-san," Sensei greeted them as he approached – it is a great honour having you in this school again, though I would have preferred to met you again in better circumstances."

"Hirotaka told us you already have him," Kim said, and this time it was Ron's turn to grimace – he didn't like how happy Kim had seemed to see that guy, not at all.

"Yes, he's our prisoner already. And we would prefer he stays our prisoner."

"Uhu?" Kim, who had already grabbed the Kimmunicator to ask Wade to contact Global Justice, blinked in confusion.

"Have you already warned someone about this?" Kim shook her head "then I must ask you to not do so. He has a journey ahead of him, and he's going to need my assistance. He needs to stay here."

"Whoa, whoa, wait!" Ron exclaimed "it's Monkey Fist we're talking about, not the usual lost sheep, or monkey, or whatever. The only journey that dude needs is a journey to a prison. Or a zoo. Or, better yet, an asylum."

"I do understand your point, Stoppable-san – but I insist for you to just forget what happened and let him stay here. I can promise you will never have to worry about him again.

Kim frowned, a little worried by his last statement. "What are you planning to do with him?"

"I just want to help him, to heal is body and spirit."

The two teens blinked – it was clear that Sensei's answer hadn't told them much. "Help him?"

"Follow me," the old man just said as he made way to the school "you'll understand after you've seen him."

* * *

"What happened?" was all Kim managed to ask once she finally managed to turn her gaze away from Monkey Fist. He was lying on a bunch of straw in the cell, still unconscious, shivering pitifully despite the blanket that had been laid on his back. The contrast between his current condition and the satisfied smirk he had on his face last time they had met was impressing to say the least.

"The cave temple collapsed on him. He survived, but he was wounded badly," Sensei said quietly as he picked up the blanket to show them his wounds. Ron cringed and took a step back, unable turn his eyes from his arch-foe. "He's not in immediate danger, but as you can see he's suffering terribly – and not just physically," the old man added as Monkey Fist gave a dry sob in his sleep. He covered him with the blanket again. "This man wasted his life for nothing, and now he's suffering the consequences. I want to help him to find peace again."

"No offence, but I think he'd rather need a doctor," Kim pointed out. She had no qualms to admit she was kind of shaken: it wasn't the first time she witnessed a villain getting hurt, but this time was much worse than any other time she could recall.

"We have one that can take care of him, and we can make sure he'll learn his lesson – he will never give you trouble again. Stoppable-san," Sensei said as he looked at the boy "I ask you to trust me and let us take care of him. We'll make sure he gets his proper punishment – but don't deny him this once chance to learn from his mistakes. Have mercy on him."

"Uhu…" Ron swallowed nervously – why did Sensei seem to think he would be the one to come up with the right decision? "Couldn't we throw a coin or something?"

"Just look at him, Stoppable-san – you'll know what's the right thing to do. Maybe it's destiny that you'll be the one to decide his fate. Whatever you decide, we'll respect your wish."

"Well…" there was a moment of silence as Ron stared at his fallen enemy – the poor guy surely wasn't having a good time, and right now the idea of throwing him in jail in that condition made him feel uneasy. He turned to Kim. "Let's let him stay here, KP. Maybe the wise guy can really help – we can trust him."

Kim shook her head. "Ron, we stop criminals – we don't help them," she said, but she didn't sound convinced at all. It was clear she pitied the monkey man.

"But you are the one who wanted to help him out when he was caught by DNAmy," Ron pointed out, shuddering a little at the thought "you said it was the right thing to do."

"Well…" Kim sighed as she glanced at Monkey Fist again "you have a point. Alright, he'll stay here, and Global Justice will never know about what happened. Besides, since the item was lost, there's no real proof he was going to steal something."

Sensei smiled warmly. "I must thank both of you on his behalf, since he probably will never do that personally. You have just changed his fate for the better."

* * *

He had no idea of how long he had been there. It could be hours, it could be days: he was unaware of the flow of time, for it had lost any meaning – since the moment he had awakened, every second that passed by was nothing but another eternity of grief. Physical pain had long since stopped bothering him, for his body had gone numb for the cold – yet, nothing seemed to soothe his sorrow.

He closed his eyes to not see the name on the white tombstone – Tamashii Yuki. Two simple words carved in the stone as a reminder of his latest crime, to remind him everything he had lost.

_Pitiful, foolish man._

He opened his eyes again as he heard footsteps approaching, but he paid no attention to them. He kept staring at the ground, faintly hoping Death had come for him after all.

_Please, let it end._

The illusion was shattered as Sensei spoke behind him. "Quite cold out here, isn't it, Monkey Fist?"

He ignored him, staring blankly ahead. Maybe if he just ignored him he would go away and let him meet his fate.

"If you stay out here a few hours more, you will die," he heard Sensei speak again.

_Then go away and let me._

Eternal minutes passed, the wind howling around them, but Sensei showed no intention to leave him alone – and as much as he tried, Monkey Fist couldn't just ignore him anymore. He knew he would die soon: his sins were great, his body was tired and he yearned for oblivion…but those final minutes were unbereable, and his grief seemed to have no end.

Maybe telling somebody the truth about what had happened would give him some comfort in his last moments, helping him to get rid of the awful weight he felt on his shoulders before his tormented mind finally sank into nothingness. Enemy or not, maybe the old man would be willing to listen the last words of an injuried, dying man.

Monkey Fist took a deep, shaky breath as he hid his face in his hands.

"I killed her."


	41. The test

_Author's notes__: guess what? I'm leaving you with a cliffhanger (well, sorta). I'm so mean XD_

_I had some trouble trying to make Monty's reaction believable enough, and I'm not sure I want to think how difficult it's going to be in the next chapter. What have I put myself into? XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Sensei gazed at the sun, his hand raised to shield his eyes from the blinding light. "It's lunch time," he stated "we should get back to the school and eat something, don't you think?"

"I'm not hungry," was the only reply he got.

Sensei chuckled. "Is that why your stomach is grumbling?" he asked, amused.

"It's not," the monkey man said, folding his arms over his chest with an outraged expression.

"Fine, it's not," Sensei shrugged "you might not be hungry then, but I am."

"I can keep training while you're away."

"You're asking too much to yourself," the old man said, a little sternly this time "you have trained enough for now. You need to rest and eat."

Monkey Fist grimaced, but he didn't protest as he followed him back to the school, leaving his monkey ninjas behind after exchanging the traditional bows.

"You are regaining most of your strength," the old man said quietly as they walked "you can be proud of yourself – most people would have needed more time to achieve such a result after suffering such injuries and after such a long recovery."

It was clear that Monkey Fist wasn't satisfied at all. "I'm still too slow, and I lack of precision," he muttered, frowning.

"You just need some more time. You'll get back in shape in no time – and I hope this time you'll remember to put your abilities to a better use," he added.

Monkey Fist gave a brief, joyless laugh. "What to you expect me to do, Sensei? Save the world like Stoppable would?" he grimaced at the thought – now that he knew Stoppable was the Ultimate Monkey Master, thinking about him hurt terribly. It was a horrible reminder of how he had wasted his life.

"No, you're not that kind of man – you are definitely no hero. I guess that not using your abilities for evil purposes would be all I could ever expect from you," there was a brief silence before Sensei spoke up again "have you thought about what I told you?"

"About the possibility of getting back to my old life?"

"Yes."

The monkey man shook his head. "It cannot work. I cannot be that man again."

"You sound like you're talking about somebody else rather than yourself."

"I am."

"That were you're wrong. There is no 'you' and 'him' – not matter how different you became from the man you used to be."

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "Fine – I cannot be what I used to be again, then."

"Of course you can't. You cannot just erase everything you've done in the last few years, the changes and the experiences you've been through: wisdom can come from mistakes if you can learn form them. You cannot be the man you once were – but you can be a better man then you used to be. Or else you could just forget everything that happened. You could forget about Yuki, bury your pain, and just turn back to your evil ways once again."

The monkey man abruptly stopped walking and stared at him with wide eyes. "Do you really think I could just forget what I've done, pretend it never happened?" he asked, his voice trembling with rage "do you actually think I could ever sink that low?"

"Why not? Sinking even deeper into corruption would be easier for you than struggling to built a new life for yourself, after all. You are greedy, and this makes you heart weak. The temptation may be too strong to resist."

"I am not weak!" Monkey Fist growled.

"Did I hit a nerve?" Sensei asked serenely "maybe you already thought about this possibility. You are frightened by the thought of what you may become once you're in control of your life again, when there will be no one but yourself to guide you."

"I never needed anyone to guide me!"

"Then why have you come to this? You lost everything you had chasing a destiny that wasn't yours, and you were ready to die rather then facing the consequences of your own actions. How can you still be so arrogant to deny you _needed_ help?"

Monkey Fist sighed and dropped his shoulders. "I won't deny it," he finally said, avoiding the old man's gaze. He suddenly seemed unwilling to speak.

"But you know you can't stay forever. You will soon have to leave, and you will be your own guide once again. From the moment you'll leave Yamanouchi, I will no longer be able to help you – whatever you'll do with what you learned will be up to you. Tell me the truth, aren't you afraid to make the same mistakes again?"

"I won't let it happen," Monkey Fist muttered, annoyed by the old man's insistence.

"How can you be so sure?"

The monkey growled, trying to not snap. "The only reason why I accepted to live is that Yuki gave up both her life and our…" he paused and took a deep breath "do you really think I'm going to disrespect her memory like that?"

Sensei was silent for a while. "Tell me," he finally said "do you think you're ready for a test?"

Monkey Fist blinked, taken aback. "A test?"

"Yes. Do you think you're ready?"

"What kind of test?"

"Just to see if you are truly ready to leave your obsession behind. Do you think you are?"

The monkey man hesitated just for a moment. "Yes," he said, trying to sound more sure than he truly was.

Sensei nodded. "Very well, we'll see what you've learned then. You need to rest and eat first – and I want you to think very well about what you want to do with yourself. Your time here is almost up."

* * *

"Yori, may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Sure," the girl immediately stopped training and followed the old man "what is it about, Sensei?"

"It is time."

Yori went a little pale. "Are you going to test him already?"

"Yes, I think he's ready. We need to see if he can get over his thirst of power."

"And what if he fails?" Yori asked, a worried look on her face "you're not truly going to…are you…?"

Sensei shook his head sadly. "It would pain me greatly, but should he fail the test he would be too much of a threat for the world."

"Yuki-sempai would be crushed."

"I know, but I think she would understand."

Yori nodded. "I hope he won't give in the temptation," she finally said.

"So do I. I hope his will is strong enough," he sighed "he needs to eat something now – would you take care of it? I need to get some things ready."

"Of course."

* * *

_I want you to think very well about what you want to do with yourself._

Monkey Fist grimaced as he thought back to Sensei's words – it was easy for him to speak. Had he ever tried to put himself in his position? Of course not. The old man obviously had no idea of what it was like having nothing but ashes left of his life.

He had nothing left to believe in, no purpose to live for. He was going to keep living only to remember his mistakes, to honour the sacrifice Yuki had done to save his life – nothing more. He still had many years left to live, and he would live them alone.

Much to his own surprise, he felt nothing but an odd melancholy and a deep internal calm at the thought. The idea of living the rest of his life alone didn't seem as horrible as it seemed once: it was the kind of punishment he deserved, and he would accept it. Happiness was far beyond his reach, but peace was not – it was more then he could have hoped for.

It was more than he felt to deserve.

Yet Sensei had been right – no matter how much he wanted to deny it, the idea of just letting himself forget everything that had happened and turn back to his evil ways to steal Mystical Monkey Power away from Stoppable was awfully tempting. When he was absorbed in his quest for power, pain and regret were unknown to him.

He had a goal to work for; he had a reason to live. Sinking in his corruption once again would most likely feel familiar and comfortable, and it would help him to keep away his sorrow. He would help him to forget Yuki.

But then he would go against everything she stood for, and it would be like killing her again. He gritted his teeth at the thought and put down the bowl of rice, his stomach refusing to accept the food.

"You should eat more."

Monkey Fist snorted as he turned to the girl still standing in the doorway. "What are you doing still here?" he growled. The few times she had been the one to bring him his lunch instead of Sensei, she had just handled him the food and left the room without even glancing at him

But this time she had stayed, observing him without saying a single word. He had ignored her, but truth to be told he was starting to feel slightly uneasy: he had kidnapped her and tried to get her killed along with Stoppable, and yet she had helped him through his recovery – it definitely was an awkward situation. It wasn't like he felt guilty, not at all, but…

He frowned. Why in the world was she staring at him anyway?

"I asked you do you want," he said, his voice as cold as ice "you're not going to get an apology, if that's what you are waiting for."

"What makes you think I would ever expect an apology from someone like you?" Yori retorted, her voice just as cold. What could Yuki-sempai ever see in him?

Monkey Fist hesitated for a moment before shrugging. "What do you want from me, then? Do you just enjoy watching your prisoner?" he asked bitterly.

"You are going to leave Yamanouchi soon enough."

"But until that moment I'm still a prisoner."

"A prisoner that has no rush to escape. Are you suddenly afraid of freedom?"

The monkey man snarled impatiently. He had enough of those blasted mind games. "What is it that you want?"

"Just one answer – and I hope you won't lie for once."

"I don't recall ever lying to you. Kidnapped you? Yes. Tried to kill you? Yes. Lied to you? No."

"True. But you lied to Yuki-sempai."

A low growl escaped from Monkey Fist's throat. "I'd rather suggest you to leave her out of this conversation. You're not going to like the consequences if you don't."

"Is it a threat?"

"It is a promise."

"I have serious doubts about your promises."

Monkey Fist gritted his teeth, trying to keep himself from getting up and strangling her. "Just ask your question and leave me alone. But I don't guarantee you will like the answer."

"Fine. I want to know if you really think you can just leave your old obsession behind and move forward."

He glared at her suspiciously. "Did Sensei send you to ask me that? Is this supposed to be the test he told me about?"

"No, it's not. I just want to know."

Monkey Fist turned his gaze away from her. "That's none of your business."

"You don't know if you can get over it, do you?"

"We settled for one question," he said coldly, his eyes narrowed.

"One question you didn't answer to."

"I didn't guarantee you would like the answer," he sneered.

Yori was about to reply when the door opened behind her and Sensei got in. The girl gave Monkey Fist a worried glance as she nodded at Sensei and left the room without another word. The monkey man blinked – why had she given him such a worried look? He frowned in confusion and turned to Sensei, who just nodded. "Follow me."

* * *

"I didn't know there were rooms underground," Monkey Fist muttered as they walked along a desert alley. There was no light except for the light coming from the torches on the walls.

"The cell we kept you in through the first night is. But you were too confused to notice," Sensei stopped in front of a door "here we are," he said as he opened the door and stepped aside, letting Monkey Fist in. The monkey man blinked, his eyes adjusting to the dim light – and he froze as he finally saw the object on the small stone shrine.

"You look surprised," Sensei said with a small smile as he stepped beside him, observing the look of absolute shock on his face.

"I…I thought…" Monkey Fist swallowed, unable to turn his gaze from the Lotus Blade "I thought it was lost..."

"Stoppable-san called it back. As long as his hearts stays pure, the Lotus Blade will always know the way," he said, carefully observing the monkey man. He didn't even flinch when he named Stoppable-san – he just kept staring at the Lotus Blade, and there was no mistaking the look of longing and greed that crossed his features.

Monkey Fist clenched his teeth. "So, is this the test you told me about?" he asked without turning his gaze from the Lotus Blade.

"Yes, it is – but why should you care about passing this test? The Lotus Blade is within your reach now; it's yours if you still want it. Just imagine what you could accomplish with it – nobody would be able to stop you. You were ready to kill to have it once."

_He's right, you know – why should you care about this test? Grab the sword; take back the power they stole from you!_

_It would be like killing Yuki again._

_She already is dead. She can't see you, and she can't die again. You are closer than you have ever been in years – just forget her and take the sword. You know you want it._

The monkey man's fingers twitched as if he was about to reach for the mystical sword, but he didn't move.

_I can't._

_You have to. Face it – without Mystical Monkey Power, you have no reason to live for. You are nothing._

_No. That's not true._

_It is, and you know it. What else do you have besides power? Nothing. What can you do without it? Nothing. Just think of the miserable life you will have to live if you don't take the sword now. Do you really want to be nothing but a soulless shell with no purpose and no future for the rest of your pathetic life?_

Monkey Fist said nothing as he kept staring at the sword. Slowly, he stepped forward and reached for the sword, his outstretched hand almost touching the hilt.

He didn't notice how Sensei had tensed, reaching for something inside the sleeve of his robe, a pained look on his face. The old man grabbed the hilt of the knife, an horrible sense of dread filling his mind as he got ready to use it in the very same instant Monkey Fist's hand touched the sword.

But that instant never came.

Sensei gave a silent sigh of utter relief as Monkey Fist retreated his hand and took a staggering step back, his eyes still fixed on the sword. As he finally turned to the old man with some effort, Sensei could see how pale he was.

"Let me out of here," he said, his voice trembling ever so slightly – but he seemed in control.

Sensei smiled warmly as stepped back to let him out, closing the door again as soon as the left the room. "You didn't let your greed get the better of you again. You can be proud of yourself."

Monkey Fist closed his eyes and leaned against the stony wall, feeling mentally and physically drained – yet surprisingly relieved. "I was about to."

"But you didn't."

A wavering smile crossed the monkey man's lips for a moment. "No. I didn't."

"That's all that matters," Sensei said calmly "you truly are ready to take you life in your own hands – you don't need my guidance anymore. You are free to leave Yamanouchi whenever you prefer."

Monkey Fist just nodded, not really knowing what he could say. What was he supposed to say anyway? He opened his eyes. His mind felt slightly dazed, yet there was a part of him that was already planning what to do next. He had to retrieve his documents and the parts of the Obsidian Monkey he had brought with him in Japan from the hotel room where he had left them, in order to get back in England, then he would dispose of the relics somehow – he didn't think he could bear looking at them anymore. He could leave them to some museum, which could help him to gather what was left of his reputation. Then…

He shook his head. He had no idea of what he could do with himself after that moment, and he wasn't sure he could think about it now. "I'll leave tomorrow at dawn," he heard himself say.

Sensei nodded. "You might want to pay her a visit before you get ready to go," he said quietly.

Monkey Fist swallowed. "Yes."

"I'll leave you alone with her," Sensei said, smiling inwardly as he thought that Monkey Fist had no idea of how literally he was speaking "just one more thing. You might someday think that I put you through an unnecessary pain, that I've been unnecessarily cruel to you. But believe me, the journey you've been through was necessary. Every step you've done from the moment you chose to live until this test has been important."

The monkey man seemed confused. "What do you mean? Why should I think –"

"You will understand really soon. Just remember what I told you," Sensei cut him off as he turned and began to walk "let's go now – you need some fresh air."

* * *

Yori couldn't hold back a sigh of relief as he watched Monkey Fist heading to the place where the tombstone was placed. "He succeeded," she said with a certain amount of wonder – there had been a moment in which she had doubted he could make it. More than once, really.

"Yes, he did," Sensei said quietly as he stepped beside her. He glanced with some disgust at the knife that he had hidden in his sleeve – the very same knife that had been awfully close to claim Monkey Fist's life twice already – then he gladly threw it away.

"Yuki-sempai will be proud of him."

"Yuki must not know about this test."

The girl blinked, turning to the old man. "But…why? It could make her change her mind about him."

Sensei gave her an amused look. "Do you really want her to change her mind about him? I thought you despised him."

"I do," Yori said quickly "but…I think he might be honest this time – he wouldn't betray her again, not after all he's been through. He could deserve a second chance, and telling her about the test..."

"It's not the moment yet. Right now it wouldn't be enough to make Yuki change her mind. She needs to confront him first, and she needs to realize how much she misses him once he leaves – haven't you seen how often she observed him, how often she spent the night by his side? She couldn't stay away from him. I'll tell her about the test I put him through when she'll be already regretting giving up on him."

Yori smiled. "You've been planning to bring them back together since the beginning, haven't you?" she asked, causing Sensei to chuckle.

"What do you want, maybe I'm just an old man who has fun playing Cupid," he said with a smile "speaking of which, I think Hirotaka was looking for you earlier."

"I know, I have met him already –" the girl suddenly trailed off, looking uneasy "what does he have to do with…?"

"Nothing," the old man said innocently, then he changed subject "Monkey Fist will leave tomorrow at dawn. If Yuki wants to speak with him, she's better do it now – go to tell her. She knows where to find him."

* * *

_I can't do this._

_Of course you can. Tell him exactly what happened, and make it clear you will never forgive him. Don't give him false hopes. _

Yuki swallowed as she approached the place where Sensei had placed her 'grave', her heart beating faster and faster. The mere idea to face him again terrified her – she had no idea of how he could react.

_Oh, please – you are afraid because you have no idea of how YOU could react._

_Good point._

She abruptly stopped walking as she finally spotted him. He was standing in front of the tombstone, his back turned to her. Despite her worries, Yuki couldn't help but smirk a little as she thought of the shock she would see on his face as soon as he saw her.

_Hello, Monty. You look like you saw a ghost._

_That was corny._

_Definitely. But I had to light up the atmosphere a little._

_I doubt it will be enough. It's not going to be easy for either of you._

_I know._

Yuki bit her lower lip, then she took in a deep breath and finally walked closer to him.

* * *

"I wonder what you would think of me now," Monkey Fist said quietly, turning his gaze from the tombstone – under the sunlight, its whiteness was almost blinding. He let his gaze wander on his surroundings. He had never truly paid attention to the beautiful sight on the valley below he could get from that spot – he had always been too concentrated on his grief to actually look around.

Yuki would have loved that spot, he thought as he turned to the white tombstone again. The first time he had seen it, it was surrounded by snow – now there was grass growing on Yuki's resting place, and there was a gentle breeze causing it to wave instead of the icy cold wind that had rushed over his injuried body as he lay there in his darkest moments.

Had anyone ever said his pain would be somewhat soothed back then, he wouldn't have believed it. Yet the pain had slowly turned into something else, a bittersweet mixture of sorrow, regret and quiet acceptance. Grief was never going to leave him, but he could live with it.

He frowned as he heard footsteps slowly approaching. What else did Sensei want from him? Hadn't he said he would leave him alone? He was about to ask Sensei to let him stay there just a few minutes longer, but the words froze on his lips, his heart skipping a beat as he heard a familiar voice called his name.

"Monty…"


	42. Confrontation

_Author's notes__: you have no idea of how many times I ended up rewriting this chapter – I was never satisfied with the outcome, and trying to write Monty's reactions believably enough was hell XD  
Anyway, the lyrics at the end of the chapter are from a Norwegian song – thanks a lot to __**Spicyweasel**__ for translating them in English and showing them to me _

_This is probably going to be the last update in a few weeks: the these days I have to concentrate on the last exam, then I will depart and I have no idea of if and when I'll get anywhere near a pc with access (or if I'll get time at all for the matter, so I'll probably take advantage of this "pause" to work on another couple of plot bunnies I've kept in the closet for too long)._

_So the next update will probably be towards the end of August, the third week if I'm lucky. Have a great summer everyone._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Monkey Fist swallowed, his throat suddenly terribly dry. Had he truly heard…? No, it wasn't possible. Yuki was gone – he had seen her lifeless body, he had held it! He was standing in front of her grave, for heaven's sake! How could he have thought he had heard her voice? That was ridiculous, just ridiculous.

Yet it had sounded so real…

"Monty."

The voice came from behind him again, closer this time. He just stood where he was, unable to move, his gaze fixed on the tombstone without seeing it. Was it a dream, an illusion, a spirit that had come back to torment him?

"You…" he trembled as he heard steps approaching – familiar steps. "Who are you? What are you?"

"I think you know me already."

There was no mistaking now – it was _her_ voice. "Yuki…?" Monkey Fist forced himself to whisper, unable to think straight. Everything felt so real – could it truly just be some cruel illusion?

_It is. It has to be. Yuki is dead._

"You still remember my name then," her voice sounded a bit amused now, yet there was a sharp edge in it "I'm most flattered."

Monkey Fist shook his head, still staring blankly ahead. "No. It can't be her," he stated, desperately trying to cling to logic "this is just an illusion. It can't be real."

"I might convince you," her voice was closer now, merely a step or two behind him "turn and see yourself."

There was a brief silence, neither of them moving.

"So, are you just going to stand there? Turn and face me."

"I'm afraid to," Monkey Fist spoke truthfully. He was terrified by the mere idea of what he could see should he turn to face…whoever was speaking with Yuki's voice. He refused to allow himself to hope that it could be real, that Yuki could really be alive – facing the fact she was truly dead would have been even worse if he did.

"And why should you be afraid? If it's just an illusion, as you say, it can't hurt. Or are you just going to stand there for the rest of your life?"

That was true, Monkey Fist had to admit. Besides, he could not just stand here trying to ignore that voice forever. It was just his imagination, no doubt – some sick joke of his own mind. He would turn around, and he would see nobody behind him. The illusion would just vanish.

He clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, and finally turned.

"Ow!"

He yelped as a hand came in contact with his face in a violent slap, catching him by surprise and causing him to lose his balance and stumble on the ground. Monkey Fist gasped, and his hand went to his stinging cheek as he struggled to understand what had just happened.

"Does it feel real enough?" Yuki asked, feeling a certain satisfaction for slapping him – she had been waiting for her chance to do that for a while.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. All he could do was just staring up at the woman standing a few feet from him, looking down at him with an odd mixture of contempt and amusement…and he finally understood. It was not a dream or illusion, it was not just his imagination – it was real, and it was really happening: his stinging cheek was the proof.

Yuki was alive.

"Yuki…?" Monkey Fist finally managed to speak, staring at her with wide eyes "but how…?"

She bit her lower lip. She had planned to be as cold and stern as she could to not give room to false hopes to any of them, but he looked so shocked and confused that she couldn't bring herself to treat him as coldly as she should. She sighed. "It's a long story. Well…not that long, really. But you get what I mean," she glanced at his shocked expression "…no, you don't."

"You are alive," was all Monkey Fist managed to say. It looked like his brain was having troubles to process the information.

"I've noticed," she said dryly "thankfully my fate wasn't left in your hands. You would most likely have buried me alive – you wouldn't make much of a doctor, you know."

"I thought…" he swallowed, shocked "you were so cold, and Sensei told me…and the grave…"

"He lied," Yuki replied sharply. She had to be blunt, or else he was never going to snap out of his confusion "I wasn't dead. That grave is empty...well, it isn't even a grave. You're an archaeologist – you should be able to tell that nobody has ever been buried there."

Monkey Fist turned to the tombstone. Now that he thought about it, he had never been able to see the ground: first it was covered with snow, then grass had started growing on the spot. He could never really _see_ if the ground had been excavated recently.

"He lied," he repeated, and Yuki could see anger flashing briefly in his eyes. He was starting to understand, and he didn't seem to like it at all. She swallowed, getting ready for a burst of rage. Had it been a good idea facing him alone? No matter what Sensei said, Monty could still be unstable, and he just had a considerable shock. She tried to keep her voice steady – he had _no right_ of being angered after everything he had done!

"Yes. Everyone did." If he were to react badly, it would be now. Her muscles tensed slightly as she got ready to either fight or run – but she didn't have to. There was not the enraged reaction she had expected: the brief flash of anger in his eyes was gone just as quickly.

Monkey Fist just stared at her, the only expression on his face being one of absolute shock and awe. It was like he was still struggling to come to terms with the revelation, and there wasn't enough room in his mind for rage. "You never died," he said as if to make sure he had grasped the concept, a wonderful sense of relief mixing with the shock and the confusion "I didn't kill you."

"No," she simply said "you didn't kill us."

"Us…?" Monkey Fist repeated, startled, then his eyes widened as the realization hit him. For a moment he just stared at her, mouth agape – in his shock, he had completely forgotten that Yuki was pregnant. He glanced at her belly, and he realized then that it seemed just a little larger than it was last time they had met – but the difference was so slight that he couldn't be sure. Maybe it was just an impression.

"The child," he said, his voice trembling as he suddenly remembered how she had shielded her stomach when the cave had collapsed on them, and the grief he had felt when Sensei had told him about the baby "is that true? Are you…?"

"Yes, I'm fifteen weeks expecting. And you kinda where there when it happened, so try to ask 'how?' like pretty much anyone did and you'll get slapped again," she said, a little amused to see that he had paled considerably – and she was pretty sure it hadn't been her playful threat to cause that reaction "how about getting up? The ground doesn't seem that comfortable to me.

Monkey Fist slowly got up, his mind still numb as he stepped forward and tentatively reached out for her, but she took a step back to avoid his touch. "You really don't want me to give you another proof of how real I am," Yuki threatened, ignoring the part of her that longed for his touch. His hand quivered in mid-air for a moment before he lowered it, a pained expression on his face.

"You lied to me all this time," he said plainly. His voice was still filled with wonder, but it was clear he was trying to find an explanation for the suffering they had inflicted him.

She gritted her teeth and stared him straight in his eyes, trying to not feel pity for him. "Yes, we all lied to you. It hurts, doesn't it?" she hissed.

"Why…?" he finally asked. There was a part of him that kept screaming in rage, demanding an explanation for the torment he had been through because of their lies "was it for revenge? Did you enjoy witnessing my pain?" he asked, a hint of anger breaking in his voice.

Yuki angrily shook her head. "You idiot – do you still think I would enjoy anyone's pain? Do you still think so little of me? I'm not like you! I would never sink so low to get revenge like that. I never wanted revenge – but I did want to have you punished. Can you say you didn't deserve it?" she said sternly, causing Monkey Fist's rage to vanish. The monkey man seemed unable to speak, and she went on. "It was Sensei the one to come up with the idea while we were still unconscious. He told me you needed to learn the hard way, and he was right. Do you think you would have been willing to go on with your…how did Sensei call it? Oh, yes –your 'inner journey' if you weren't feeling guilty for my death?"

Monkey Fist stayed silent for a moment before speaking again, Sensei's words echoing in his mind – now he could finally understand their meaning.

_You might someday think that I put you through an unnecessary pain, that I've been unnecessarily cruel to you. But believe me, the journey you've been through was necessary. Every step you've done from the moment you chose to live until this test has been important._

He sighed and closed his eyes. He knew he would normally be furious to find out they had lied to him the whole time, but there was too much going on. He was probably going to want Sensei's head on a silver platter once the shock and the surprise faded, but right now he felt far too shocked and relieved to truly feel rage, and even if he did…well, he just had no right to be enraged to Yuki. Not after everything he had done to her.

"Did the cat just eat you tongue? That was a question, and I'm waiting for an answer," Yuki said dryly.

"No," he finally answered, "I wouldn't. I…" he swallowed, unable to go on.

"You what?"

Monkey Fist took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." It had nothing to do with her question, but it was everything he could say.

"I know you are – I've been watching you the whole time," she said sharply "but it's easy being sorry after the damage is done, isn't it? Do you have the _slightest idea_ of how much you hurt me?" Yuki asked, stepping forward and causing Monkey Fist to stagger back as if suddenly reminded of _everything_ he had done to her. A look of guilt crossed his features as he remembered everything he had said to her that cursed day, when he had tried to end her life.

"You asked me if I enjoyed witnessing your pain – as if you were the only one to suffer! Have you ever stopped thinking about your sorrow to think about mine?" she added with something very similar to a snarl. She was trembling with rage while thinking back at the events in the cave temple – the ones she could remember, at least.

The monkey man paled a little. "Yuki, listen…"

"No. You are the one who's going to listen," she said firmly "you lied to me. You used me for your plans. You betrayed me, then you treated me like dirt and tried to _kill_ me," she emphasized the last words, causing Monkey Fist to cringe "and you almost succeeded in having both me and the baby killed. Do you have a justification for this? If so, I'm just _dying_ to listen," she said sarcastically.

There was a long silence as they stared at each other. Yuki raised an eyebrow as Monkey Fist finally dropped his shoulders and lowered his gaze. "I don't," he said wearily, avoiding to look at her "it was the worst mistake I ever did."

She narrowed her eyes. "Yes, it was," she said coldly.

"I had no idea your were…had I known about it…"

"It wouldn't have changed anything. Can you look at me and say without a shadow of doubt that you would have given up on your quest had you known about the child? Can you say you wouldn't have tried to _murder_ me?"

He raised his gaze to meet hers again with some effort, then he immediately turned away. "No, I can't," he said slowly "I just…wasn't thinking, I was out of my mind. You have no idea of how much I loathe myself for that," he added, staring at the ground.

"I know," she said quietly, then she bit her lower lip "why did you say those things?" she asked. She was supposed to be cold, to act as if she didn't care of whatever he had said or done anymore…but she needed to know.

Monkey Fist shifted uneasily. "What I told you…I truly meant nothing of what I said. Yes, I lied to you – but it wasn't just that," he added quickly, glancing at her with an almost hopeful expression as he struggled with words he was not used to say "you know it wasn't just that. You know I…I didn't just…"

Yuki just nodded, faintly amused to see him struggling with words. "I know it now. Then…why? Why did you tell me that?" she asked. The fact he truly cared for her and still managed to tell her such cruel things was what puzzled her the most.

"I just wanted you to hate me. I thought it would make things easier for both of us."

She raised an eyebrow. "Did you honestly think that telling me you had just used me for your plan and that I meant nothing to you would make everything easier?"

"Well…" Monkey Fist had to admit that it sounded kind of stupid put that way "I guess so."

Yuki rolled her eyes. "Congratulations for being an idiot," she said sarcastically, then she sighed, "oh, well… maybe that would make things easier now after all."

Monkey Fist blinked. "What do you mean?"

_Don't say anything stupid. Don't say anything–_

"I don't hate you," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

…_great. You just HAVE to always mess up things, don't you?_

"You don't…?" he repeated, utterly stunned. How could she _not_ hate him after all that happened? She had to – she had to despise him as much as he had despised himself!

Yuki sighed inwardly hearing something else besides surprise in his voice – hope. So much for not giving him false hopes, she thought. Alright, it wasn't exactly how she had planned things to go – but she needed to get it off her chest. And she needed him to understand just how much he had hurt her.

"I couldn't. I cannot," she closed her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts "you have no idea of how I felt when I woke up after the cave collapsed," she added. It had taken her a day or two to be able to think straight again, and until that moment brief, confused flashbacks of what had happened in the cave temple kept coming back in her mind like nightmares. The others hadn't wanted to tell her anything until she felt better, and when she had finally been lucid enough to put her memories together and finally remember what had happened, she had wished she never woke up. She had the distinct feeling that the only thing that had kept her sane in those moments was the knowledge that the child in her womb was alright.

Monkey Fist felt a painful stab of guilt as she went on. "I was furious with you for using me, and with myself for letting you. I felt like I had betrayed Yamanouchi – I have never been ashamed of anything in my whole life, but I was ashamed of letting you..." she paused, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes "you cannot imagine how much it hurt. Then, when I knew you were still alive as well, and that you were healing in the school too…I wanted to see you. I wanted to deal with you myself – I have no idea of what I planned to do, I was so confused. I thought I hated you – but then I saw you. You were still unconscious, and…I couldn't hate you, no matter how much I tried…" her voice trembled "over the past months, I kept trying to make myself despise you, but the more I watched your struggle to come to terms with what you had done, the more I realized I just couldn't...and that was probably the worst part. It's odd how you hurt me the most without even realizing it…" her voice faded, and she closed her eyes.

There was a brief silence. Monkey Fist seemed unable to speak, for each word Yuki had said had been like a stab – yet knowing she didn't despise him after all caused an odd warmth to spread in his chest. "I wish I could get back to change things," he finally spoke, his gaze fixed on the ground, not daring to look at her. He didn't know what else he could say – he could find no words to justify himself, and he wasn't used to apologize. There were no words he could say that could fully express how horribly guilty he felt anyway.

"But you can't. And I cannot forget what you've done," Yuki replied, a deep melancholy in her voice.

Monkey Fist just nodded. "I know," he said, and this time there was no hope in his voice. He knew she would never be his again. He turned away from her once again, and Yuki frowned as she noticed the bruise forming on his cheekbone.

"I hurt you," she said quietly, instinctively stepping forward and reaching for his face. He winced as her fingers gently traced his bruised cheek.

"It…doesn't matter. I deserved it," he managed to say, savouring the feeling of her fingers brushing on his skin – it would most likely be the last time he felt that sensation, and he had thought he would never feel it again. It felt familiar and good, and he closed his eyes as if trying to just pretend the incident in the cave temple had never happened, that he had never lost her to chase a power that was never meant for him.

Yuki shook her head. "I shouldn't have hit so hard..." she hesitated for a moment, all her senses screaming for her to retreat her hand, then she finally cupped his cheek and gently turned him to face her – she needed to look into his eyes one last time. Monkey Fist looked at her with regret and longing, but he didn't try to reach for her again. It was like he was afraid she could vanish if he did.

"I lost you, didn't I?" he said quietly.

Yuki gave him a sad glance, her thumb stroking his cheek. "Yes, you did."

He closed his eyes as he leaned his cheek into her palm, as if looking for some warmth and comfort. "Forgive me."

She swallowed a lump in her throat and tried to put herself together. Her hand slipped off his cheek. "I heard you're leaving tomorrow at dawn," she said, trying to change subject.

"Yes. We are never going to meet again, I guess," he said slowly. There was no emotion in his voice as he stared at her – only emptiness.

"No. Never again," Yuki said, then she smiled a little "but Michio might want to meet you someday."

"Michio?"

"It's the name Sensei chose for the child. I…think it's a boy," her lips were still curled in a small, melancholic smile.

"Man on the right path," Monkey Fist said flatly, his eyes fixed on Yuki's belly. He reached for her again, and this time Yuki didn't stop him – she just stood still as he rested his simian hand on her belly. It was the closer Monty could get to touch his son in years after all, maybe in his whole life – she couldn't stop him. It wouldn't be fair.

Monkey Fist wasn't sure of what he should think as he rested his hand on her stomach. It was hard to believe there was a life growing inside of her; it was a life he had helped to create, yet he would never be part of it. Maybe it was better this way – he would never be a good parent. He lacked of everything a father needs, including the desire to be one: Yuki and the child would have a better life in Yamanouchi – he had proved himself untrustworthy and unable to keep control over himself how: could he hope to guide another human being through life? His own life was nothing but a smoking ravine of broken hopes and terrible regrets; there was nothing he could offer to Yuki and the child. Yet knowing that his own flesh and blood would grow up so far from him was somewhat painful. Another thought suddenly struck him – what would his own son think of him? "Are you going to tell him the truth?" he asked, almost fearing the answer.

Yuki bit her lower lip. She had given a considerable amount of thought to the matter, and she still felt unsure. "About you? Yes – when he's old enough to understand, of course."

The monkey man cringed at the thought. "Do you really think it would be…necessary?"

She nodded. "I grew up not knowing who my parents were – I won't put him through the same situation. Besides, I want him to learn form the mistakes you did. I don't want him to be like you," she paused as she saw him flinch "not completely," she corrected herself.

Monkey Fist nodded. "I understand," he said quietly, then he cleared his throat and removed his hand from her belly with some effort "there is just one thing I have to ask you then – should he ever want to meet me…try to make him change his mind."

"I will let him decide if he wants to meet you or not," Yuki said, then she frowned "or maybe you just don't want to meet him," she stated, glaring at him.

"I wouldn't be able to stand his gaze."

Her eyes softened. "Just like you can't stand mine?"

He briefly glanced at her, but he immediately turned away. "Yes."

"Are you afraid of his judgement?"

"Wouldn't you?"

Yuki smiled a little. "I usually don't care much about anyone's judgement – and neither do you, if I recall correctly."

"This time it's different."

"I know," she stayed silent for a moment "what are you planning to do now?"

"I have no idea," he said truthfully "I'll get back in England, of course, then…I'll see."

Yuki looked at him: a lonely man who had no idea of what to do with himself. He seemed so lost that it hurt watching him. "Have a safe journey," she said softly, lowering her gaze "and good luck."

Monkey Fist didn't answer, and she gasped as he gently tilted up her chin to look at her face – but she didn't slap his hand away as she should have. She stayed still as he looked at her as if he was trying to carve her features in his memory before he left, the look of longing in his eyes causing her heart to melt.

_Tell me you are not thinking what I think you're thinking._

_Just one last time – it wouldn't even be a kiss, not really. It won't hurt. _

_Yes, it would._

Yuki bit her lower lip for a moment, then she pushed aside any though in his mind – she just stood on her toes and lightly pressed her lips on his just for a moment, causing Monkey Fist to freeze in shock. He couldn't speak – he just looked at her with a confused expression as she took a step back, his head spinning a little: too many things had happened in just a few minutes.

She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze and lowered her eyes, hating herself for the weakness she was showing. She wasn't supposed to act like that, but she had just lost control – she needed to feel his lips against hers once again.

_I told you it would hurt._

_I needed to._

_No, you didn't need it – you wanted to, and that's your mistake. You must forget him._

_How could I? It is his child I'm carrying – he will remind me of him every day of my life._

_The child is exactly the reason why you must move forward. You must think about him, about his future. And his future is here in Yamanouchi, away from his father. It is your home, and it will be his as well. It's the best solution – the only solution._

"Yuki…" Monkey Fist began, but he paused as he saw her shoulders tremble as if she was struggling to not burst in tears.

"Now leave me alone. Please," she said, her voice shaking a little "just go away and never come back."

Monkey Fist stared at her for a few moments, then he just nodded numbly and stepped away from her. The thought he would never see her again crushed him, but he didn't let it show up. "Take care of you," he said quietly, his heart heavy "of both of you."

Yuki swallowed. "I will."

He gave her another regretful glance, then he quickly turned away and headed back to the school without saying another word. Alone in front of the empty grave, Yuki put her shaking hands on her belly, closed her eyes, and finally began to sob.

_You loved so warmly and innocently  
You lived and shined around he who was yours  
And the evenings and the dark was soft poetry  
When you understood it couldn't last  
It was more than you could take._

_Yes, much is behind you and gone  
A man, a fortune, a belief and a friend  
And days that left you plucked  
There are memories you'll forever preserve  
And a future you have to defend._

A Song about Tomorrow - Halvdan Sivertsen


	43. The hardest task

_Author's notes__: wow, finally back on the Internet! You have no idea of how much I missed it XD The more I think about it, the more I am astonished by how longer than planned this fic got. A part of me was most tempted to get straight to the ending, and I had to stop myself from doing that – I still have too many ideas that demand to be written. We're getting closer to the end anyway: I should be done with this fanfic by the end of the century or something close XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

The Yamanouchi students abruptly stopped training as the saw Monkey Fist stepping in the yard. They watched the monkey man with suspicion and resentment – they knew he was their enemy and that he was not to be trusted, and they were uncomfortable with him around. Why had Sensei allowed him to stay?

Monkey Fist, however, didn't even notice how they watched him – he had never been interested in whatever they could think of him, and he wouldn't start to worry about it now. Not with so many thoughts storming in his mind, making him incapable to feel anything but confusion – he didn't even know what he was supposed to think or feel anymore.

_You should have taken the sword when you could. Look at yourself now – an empty shell with no future or purpose. I told you, without the power you are worth nothing. But you still have a chance: just find the Lotus Blade, and–_

_No._

_You idiot – what are you trying to prove to them or yourself? You owe her nothing, you know – she lied to you all this time, they all did. There is nothing you owe them, there is no reason to hold back anymore! They must pay for what they did: take the sword and get your revenge!_

_I have no right to do so. Not to Yuki. Not after everything I did._

_Fine, not to her – but what about the old man? What about that insufferable girl? They let you suffer horribly just for their amusement. What about Stoppable? He stole everything you worked for. You have to destroy them all for what they did to you! You need a reason for living! _

_I cannot let revenge become my only purpose. It would only destroy me._

_It would be better than not having a purpose at all. Face it, you already are finished – but you can still take them with you. You wouldn't have hesitated a few months back._

_Things have changed, and so have I._

_You just got weaker. You are pathetic – if you're not going to get revenge, you might as well end your life now instead of living as a miserable shadow of the man you used to be._

The thought caused Monkey Fist to stop on his tracks, his eyes glazed and distant. The idea hadn't even crossed his mind until that moment.

_You only accepted to live only to honour her memory. You accepted to live just because you thought you had a debt to her, because you thought she had lost her life to save yours – but that was nothing but a lie. You have no reason for living now: why are you still clinging to life? You have nothing left, and I doubt you would be missed. _

_Leave me alone._

_It is tempting, isn't it?_

_Please…_

"I see you're back," a familiar voice said behind him, snapping him from his morbid thoughts. Monkey Fist turned to see Yori standing a few feet from him, her expression unreadable. Anger suddenly overtook him as he looked at the girl, and he felt somewhat relieved: unlike utter confusion, anger was a familiar emotion, and it felt oddly comforting. He _needed_ to feel rage.

"You!" he growled, gritting his teeth and causing a few students to take a step back – they had stopped training to look at him, and Monkey Fist faintly wondered how much time he had just stood still in the yard, battling with his own thoughts "you knew everything, didn't you?"

"Of course," Yori simply said, "everyone did. Everyone but you."

Monkey Fist moved so quickly that she had barely enough time to realize what was happening before she was pinned against the wall, his simian hand wrapped around her neck. She looked up to see his face just inches from hers, his features twisted by furious rage as if he wished nothing but snapping her neck…yet his grip didn't tighten.

"Yori!" Hirotaka exclaimed, stepping forward, but much to everyone's surprise Yori just gestured him and the other students to not get any closer. They hesitated for a moment, then they just stood there, still ready to act should things get dangerous.

"What are you going to do, Monkey Fist?" Yori asked quietly, apparently unimpressed by how dangerous the situation was "are you going to kill me? It wouldn't be a nice tale to tell your son in a few years – how his father became a murderer."

The monkey man snarled, and Yori had to stop herself from pitying him as she saw pain flash in his eyes beneath the smouldering rage. "You must be satisfied now," he said, each word dripping with hatred "I'm sure you enjoyed every single moment you spent watching me suffer, didn't you?" his grip around the girl's neck tensed slightly _"didn't you?"_

Yori just grimaced, looking at him with contempt. "Unlike you, none of us is so horrible inside to enjoy someone else's pain. Not even an enemy's."

Monkey Fist didn't seem to even hear her insult. "Then why?" his voice was trembling with rage "why did you do it?"

"I guess Yuki-sempai told you already. If you still don't get it, you can ask Sensei. You should have understood by yourself by now, but you're probably just too blind to see it."

His expression hardened at her words. "Watch your tongue, girl – it wouldn't take much to snap your neck right now."

"If you really wanted to, you would have done it already."

"Don't try me."

"You were not so bold when you needed my help to drink, eat or take care of your wounds," she replied dryly "anyone else would be grateful – but I didn't expect someone like you to be grateful to anyone."

His grip on her neck tightened just a little as he struggled to not snap her neck. It took all his willpower to not do so. "I _loathe_ you," was all he said in a low growl.

Yori looked back at him with a scowl. "The feeling is mutual," she said coldly "I despise you just as much – but Yuki-sempai doesn't. Don't give her a reason to truly hate you and let me go."

They just stared at each other in silence for a few moments, then something changed on Monkey Fist's face, a look of utter defeat crossing his features just for a moment as he finally let her go. Yori took a step back, her hand massaging her throat, somewhat astonished by how…defeated he looked. She should have felt somewhat triumphant – she had confronted him and she had won…yet she could only feel nothing even close to triumph.

Revenge just wasn't for her.

She looked around to see that all the students in the yard had silently circled them, ready to attack should Monkey Fist do a wrong move. He followed her gaze, and tensed as he saw he was surrounded. There was a part of him that almost wished they would attack, though the rational part of his mind knew perfectly he wouldn't stance a chance against them all – but there would be a chance to just stop thinking and give in to his rage.

"It's alright," Yori reassured them "you can go back to your training."

The students hesitated, then they got back to their usual routine after giving Monkey Fist some suspicious glares. Hirotaka stood by Yori's side as she turned to the monkey man again "Sensei is in his meditation room. You can meet him now if you wish to," she said coldly.

Monkey Fist glared at her as if he was temped to hit her, but he seemed to change his mind as he saw Hirotaka. He faintly remembered him from the cave temple – he was the one who had broken his collarbone, and he was a good fighter; he wouldn't be able to face both of them now. Monkey Fist just gritted his teeth and turned his back to them without saying another word, heading to the entrance of the school with quick steps.

"Do you think he'll listen to Sensei?" Hirotaka asked as he watched him get inside.

"He did until now. I only hope he will understand – it was a harsh punishment even for him, but it was for his own good."

Hirotaka nodded. "Maybe too harsh," he said quietly.

"Sensei knows what he's doing," Yori said, looking a little uneasy. Truth to be told, the punishment that had been inflicted to the monkey man seemed too hard to her as well…but she had to trust Sensei's judgement: he had never failed until then. "Where is Yuki-sempai?"

"She hasn't come back yet – she's either getting back as well or she's still at the tombstone."

"I should go to check," Yori said. She didn't really think anything bad had happened during Yuki's confrontation with Monkey Fist – she knew he would never do anything to hurt her now – but she had just said farewell to the man she still loved despite everything a: she would probably need some support, though Yori wasn't sure she could be of much help.

* * *

Sensei wasn't surprised in the slightest as he heard footsteps quickly approaching – he knew Monkey Fist would come for an explanation as soon as the shock faded a little. He faintly wondered how Yuki had handled the matter – she seemed determined to be as cold as possible, but he honestly doubted she could make it.

The old man sighed as the door of his meditation room banged open, and he opened his eyes to see Monkey Fist standing on the doorway – his hair dishevelled, his whole body trembling, his breathing irregular.

"Why?" was all he asked with a growl, his bloodshot eyes fixed on him.

"I trust Yuki already explained you everything," Sensei said serenely, apparently not bothered by the monkey man's fury and confusion "aren't you relieved to know they're both fine?"

Monkey Fist just gritted his teeth. Of course he was relieved – he was relieved beyond words…but relief did nothing to soothe his rage now that the confusion had partially settled. "Why?"

"I did expect you to be angered," Sensei went on "though I'm certain you didn't gave in to your rage in front of Yuki..."

"_Why?"_

"You already know the answer – you had a lesson to learn, and this was the only way."

"You had _no right_ to do this to me!" Monkey Fist screamed, his muscles twitching as if he could barely control himself. He knew what Sensei's reason where, but he still couldn't accept it. "None of you had any right to…how _could_ you!"

"You had no right to put anyone's life in danger either, but you did, and more than once," Sensei just replied, and his serene attitude caused something in Monkey Fist's mind to snap – how dared he being so serene after everything he had put him through? He let out a growl and attacked, even though he knew it wouldn't take much for Sensei to defeat him.

The old man wasn't surprised by his attack – he just dodged his blow, and he moved so quickly that Monkey Fist had barely enough time to realize he had missed him before his back hit the ground with a dull thud leaving him breathless for a few moments, white spots dancing in front of his eyes. "You're too easily angered," Sensei chided him as he sat up with a groan "it's a weakness in a fight."

The monkey man turned to look at him growling, but he didn't get up or tried to attack again. "Too easily angered?" he repeated, gritting his teeth "I have _every right_ to be angered! You turned my life in a living hell!"

Sensei shook his head. "I beg to differ – you are the one to choose power over happiness. You made the wrong choice, not me. The responsibility is only yours."

"You know what I mean! You made me believe they were both dead all this time for no reason!"

"No reason, you say? You had to be punished, and it was necessary for you to face the worst consequences your actions could have in order to learn something from your mistake – I just killed two birds with one stone, as you would say. It was for your own good, and you know it – but it's easier for you raging against me than just accepting what you deserved, isn't it?"

Sensei raised an eyebrow as he studied his expression – he seemed speechless after his serene reply to is outburst. They stared at each other for a while, saying nothing, then Sensei noticed how the monkey man's shoulders dropped – the recent events seemed to be slowly draining him of any strength.

"You had no right," Monkey Fist repeated weakly, apparently unable to find anything else to say "you…" his voice broke, an odd mixture between a growl and a sob leaving his lips "you had no right…"

"Maybe it's true," Sensei said calmly "maybe I truly had no right to punish you so harshly – but I firmly believe it was necessary: had you immediately known Yuki was alive, you wouldn't have been willing to start your inner journey to face your responsibilities, and nothing would have changed. You learned much more about yourself in the last few weeks than you ever did in years, didn't you?"

There was a long silence as Monkey Fist just closed his eyes, saying nothing, a thousand confused thoughts running through his mind. He tried to think back about all the sorrow he had been through during the past weeks, yet he couldn't feel the almost comforting rage had filled him just minutes before – anger felt pointless now.

_Everything_ felt pointless.

"Think about what you learned – now you know how your obsession began, and how it could get the better of you. You understood what your worst mistakes were, and now you can make sure you won't repeat them," Sensei went on as he got no answer "and among other things, you now know your father's death wasn't your fault," he added almost casually.

Monkey Fist's eyes snapped open at the thought. It was true – hadn't he started to process his memories in order to understand what had led him to become what he was, he would have never found out he was not responsible for his father's death: he would still be blaming himself after all those years.

"Your journey has been a long and difficult one, and you needed every ounce of your strength and courage for each step. But you got rid of a weigh had been carrying on your shoulders most of your life, not to mention that you are ready to start your life anew having dealt with everything you needed to deal with. So now tell me – don't you think it all has been worthwhile?" Sensei asked, carefully observing the monkey man.

Monkey Fist swallowed and slowly nodded, his eyes fixed in the floor. "Yes," he heard himself say "it was."

"Then I guess you could say the end justifies the means," the old man said with a small smile.

The monkey man gritted his teeth, but he could find nothing to reply with; that was the same thing he had told himself everytime he stole an item, everytime he put someone in danger – the same thing he had repeated to himself when he had accepted the risk of hurting Yuki in order to achieve his goal: the end justifies the means.

"You couldn't choose a better punishment," he finally said, a deep bitterness in his voice.

"Excuse me?"

"You made me believe she was dead, and you prevented me from escaping the pain dying as I wished so that I could face what I had done. You even told me she was expecting, and you made me believe the child was gone with her – you spared me _nothing_," he gritted his teeth "you used my guilt and my desire to find peace to make me process the causes of my obsession. You helped me to come to terms with what I had done – with everything I had done. You helped me to accept the fact she was gone, to find _peace_ after so many efforts. You convinced me to move on and try to rebuilt a life for myself, and then…" he closed his eyes "then you made me find out the truth and face her just when I was ready to move on. Why? Why didn't you just leave me to my ignorance?"

"I do realize it would have been easier for you keep thinking she was gone at this point, but you had to know the truth," Sensei raised an eyebrow "aren't you glad to know they're both fine?"

"Of course I am! But I don't understand–"

"Would have you rather spent your life blaming yourself for two deaths that never happened?" Sensei cut him off, and Monkey Fist slowly shook his head.

"I understand your confusion – it will take you some time to accept the fact she's alive and she will never be yours again, and that your own son will grow up so far away from you…but you'll get used to it just like you got used to the idea they were gone. Letting you mourn their deaths for the rest of your life would have been far worse, don't you think?"

Monkey Fist swallowed. He was probably right – it would take him time to get used to it, but at least he would know he hadn't killed them. He would know they were alive – living far away, lost to him, but alive. Yet…

"Honouring her sacrifice was the only reason why I accepted to live. What do I have to live for now?" he asked, his voice drained of emotion. He felt so weak, lost, and defenceless that he almost disgusted himself. It was odd in a way – now that he knew she was alive, he truly felt like he had no purpose: wasn't he supposed to just be happy about it? What was wrong with him?

"You couldn't keep living just because you thought someone else had given up her life for you," the old man said sternly "you need to find your own motivations to go on from now, and you're going to have to do it by yourself. I cannot help you any longer: everything is up to you. Give a meaning to your life, and live it at its fullest."

"It's easy to say."

"I never said it would be easy," the old man admitted "it will probably be the hardest task you'll ever have to face, but I'm sure you'll manage to find a reason for living. You were never one to give up after all," he added with a chuckle.

The weakest shadow of a smile formed on Monkey Fist's lips. "I guess so."

Sensei just nodded. "You should rest – you have a long journey to do, a real one this time. But you still need something before you're ready to leave."

"Anything else you forgot to let me know?" Monkey Fist asked dryly.

"No. Just this."

The monkey man stared for a few moments to the heap of cloth that Sensei had placed in front of him, the he reached for it and unfolded it.

"It took a while to find one identical to your old one, but here it is. I thought you wouldn't want to leave wearing a garb from this school. You have never been a Yamanouchi student after all."

Monkey Fist opened his mouth to speak, but no word came out as he stared the ninja garb – it was nothing compared with the surprises he had faced that morning, but it was something he would never expect to happen. It was almost like getting back a part of him, and it felt oddly bittersweet.

"As you already know, that belongs to a honorable school devoted to a honorable, ancient art. Prove yourself worthy of wearing it from now on."

The monkey man nodded numbly. "I will," he managed to say.

"I'll leave you alone now. You have to get up early tomorrow, and you have a hard task ahead of you – probably the hardest you ever faced. Should you decide to get up from the floor and get to your room, you know the way," Sensei said with a chuckle, as he left the meditation room. Monkey Fist just watched as the door closed behind the old man, not knowing what to say.

* * *

"Yuki-sempai?" Yori called softly as she approached. Even though Yuki's back was turned to her, she could tell her elder was crying, her shoulders trembling with each sob. She stopped a few steps from her.

"Not now, Yori," came Yuki's muffled reply. She sniffled, trying to dry her tears with her sleeve, but they kept rolling down her cheeks, making her attempts useless.

"You shouldn't cry like that – it will make no good to you and your baby," Yori said tentatively.

The pity in the girl's voice somewhat annoyed Yuki. "It's not like I'm banging my head against a wall – I'm just _crying_," she snapped turning to face her, her eyes reddened by her tears "it won't kill. Can't I simply _cry_ without being reminded of the baby for once?" she almost snarled, causing Yori to take a step back.

"I'm sorry, Yuki-sempai. I…" she paused, unsure. She truly had no idea of what she could say to comfort her – she wished Sensei were there. He would know what to say.

Yuki swallowed, trying to get a hold on herself, and feeling mildly guilty for snapping like that – but really, couldn't they just leave her alone? She already felt pathetic enough for crying like a child, and having someone that was at least ten years younger than she was trying to comfort her didn't help at all.

Besides, she doubted that even Sensei could be of any help now. She just wanted to stay alone for a while and deal with everything that had happened herself, without having to reassure anyone by playing strong and pretending she was just fine – was that much to ask?

"I'm sorry, Yori, I just…leave me alone for a while, will you? I'll get back to the school as soon as I feel like it."

Yori hesitated for a moment, then she just nodded and walked away without speaking. There was really nothing to say now. Yuki felt a pang of guilt as she heard the girl leave, but she didn't move to follow her. The mere thought of having to go through Sensei or anyone else's questions was enough to make her sick, not to mention the risk of finding herself face to face with Monty when she got back to the school. Yes, it was just a small possibility, but she didn't want it to take the risk. She had lost control over herself in her previous confrontation already, and she didn't want it to happen again.

There was not turning back now – she had already made her decision, and it was the right one…she _hoped_ it was the right one. She had to forget him somehow and only think about the child – raising him was going to be the hardest task of her life.


	44. Leaving Yamanouchi

_Author's notes__: here's another chapter. I'm not sure I'll be able to update every week in September since I'll stay in Greece for a few days and then I have another bunch of exams to go through (ugh…) but I should be able to update again next week, though it seems like the next few chapters are going to be a pain to write _: P

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye?" the old man asked as they approached the bridge.

Monkey Fist shook his head: he couldn't bring himself to face her again. It would hurt both of them, and he didn't want to hurt her again in any way. He had already done her too much wrong. "Yuki asked me to leave her alone, and granting her wish is the only thing I can do now. I won't bother her any further," he said dryly, turning his glance away from him and gazing at the rising sun.

It was clear he was unwilling to speak to the old man, and Sensei wasn't surprised. The monkey man had learned to trust him, and then he had found out that he had lied to him about Yuki's fate – there was no doubt he considered it some kind of betrayal, a betrayal that had reminded him that Sensei had always been his enemy.

He still couldn't accept the fact he had been lied to all that time…but wasn't that what he had done to Yuki, lying to her and betraying her trust? No, what he had done to her was far worse than that, and he knew it. Monkey Fist cringed inwardly as he realized he had no right to protest for what had been done to him.

"I understand," Sensei just said "is there anything you want me to tell her?"

"Just tell her to forget me."

"You know she won't. She will never be able to erase you from her mind and heart – it takes time for wounds to heal, and they always leave scars."

Monkey Fist lowered his gaze. "I took everything from her, didn't I?" he asked wearily. He wished she could hate him – it would have been easier for her: the mere idea she was still suffering because of him was unbearable.

"There comes a day when even the harshest pain turns into fond memories – that day will come for both of you in time," Sensei simply said, then he smiled "I'm sure that, when the moment will come, she'll tell your son about you with no grudge or pain in her – and I'm certain she won't just tell him about the worst part of you. There is so much more she's seen in you."

He wasn't really telling the truth since he was pretty sure Yuki was never going to have to _tell_ her son about him – he was confident enough the child would have his father by his side before his very first breath – but should things go wrong, he knew that was what would happen.

Monkey Fist just nodded, trying to just ignore the lump in his throat. In all honesty, he couldn't picture anything positive about himself that Yuki could ever tell the child someday. The thought was oddly amusing, considering what a high opinion of himself he used to have. He was about to speak again, but he hesitated and shut his mouth without saying a word.

Sensei noticed his hesitation. "Is there something you want to ask?" he asked. The knowledge he had lost Monkey Fist's trust somewhat pained him, but he knew it would be inevitable once he found out the truth.

The monkey man bit his lower lip, then he finally spoke. "There is just one thing I want to ask you," he said slowly, avoiding to look at him "take care–" he trailed off, his eyes widening a little as his dying father's voice echoed somewhere in his memory.

"**Take care of both of them. It's the greatest favour you could ever do for me."**

"**I will, Milord."**

"Is something wrong?" the old man asked as they stopped in front of the bridge.

Monkey Fist's lips curled in a melancholic smile. "Nothing," he just said, his gazes somewhat distant "take care of both of them."

"I will," Sensei turned to the bridge "your monkey ninjas are waiting for you," he said, watching the monkeys waiting for their master near the waterfall that hid the entrance "I guess you know your way back."

The monkey man nodded. "Of course."

"It is time to say goodbye then. I ask you to listen to my words one last time – there will be moments in which you'll be tempted to give up on trying to rebuilt your life and sink into your obsession once again…"

"I won't," Monkey Fist said dryly, refusing to think about that possibility.

"I'm sure you won't, but I have to warn you it's not going to be easy: the temptation might never leave you completely, and you will have to fight it every moment of your life. In any case, I trust you'll remember what you learned here," Sensei said, slightly bowing his head "may you walk on the right path from now on," he added, and it didn't escape him the way Monkey Fist had winced at his last words – Yuki had probably told him the child's name.

"I'll try," he just said. He paused for a moment, unsure if he should say something – what could he say anyway? Deep inside he was still furious for all the sorrow Sensei had put him through, yet there was a part of him that was grudgingly grateful to the old man for helping him through his inner journey: he was not a fool, and he knew Sensei was telling the truth when he said that his journey had been necessary.

Besides, he had spared his life – he didn't know how awfully close to be killed he had been that day in the cave temple, but he did know that Sensei could have easily let him die, and he hadn't even though it was what he deserved. Yes, he had caused him much sorrow, but he still owed him his life…and, in a way, he owed him much more than that. He owed him that second chance, even though he wasn't sure of what he could do with himself.

Sensei noticed how uncomfortable he suddenly seemed. "You don't have to do or say anything," he just said, as if he could read his thoughts "I do realize I put you through too much hardship to expect your gratitude. The only thing that matters to me is that you won't forget what you learned during the time you sent in this school."

Monkey Fist bit is lower lip, his throat terribly dry. "How could I forget?" he said bitterly, his voice sounding somewhat strained.

Sensei smiled slightly. "It is time for you to leave," he said, gesturing to the bridge "you don't want to make your minions wait, do you?"

Monkey Fist slowly shook his head and took a few steps towards the bridge, but he seemed to change his mind and stopped in his tracks – he felt like he couldn't just leave like that. He just stood there for a long moment, his gaze unfocused, then he turned to face Sensei and silently bowed. The old man just bowed back, and Monkey Fist turned away and walked to the bridge without saying another word.

Sensei couldn't help but smile: Mokey ist was not his student, and there was no reason why he should bow at him...especially not now that he knew he had lied to him all that time. The fact he had granted him that sign of respect anyway was enough to tell him the monkey man's time in that school had truly been worthwhile.

He nodded to himself as he headed back to the school, a satisfied smile still on his face. His work with Monkey Fist was done: now everything was up to him.

* * *

"Do you need something, sir?"

"I have a suite here, but I lost the key. You have another one, don't you?"

"Of course," the man glanced at him with suspicion "your name, sir?"

"It's Wingate," Monkey Fist said. He had rented the suite using his mother's maiden name when he had come to Japan to avoid being tracked down somewhat…not that it had worked, he thought bitterly, faintly wondering how had Yuki found him that day. Nobody had ever explained him that…but it wasn't important anymore after all.

"Matthew Wingate?"

"Yes."

The man behind the desk typed something, and he blinked as he looked at the screen. "It's been a long time since last time you got here, sir."

"I've been busy. I hope you left the room the way I left it as I said," Monkey Fist narrowed his eyes, causing the poor guy to swallow uncomfortably.

"Of course, sir – here's the spare key. Do you…uhu…already know how much it is for the rent?" he asked nervously. He had about two months and a half of rent to pay, and he wouldn't have just kept him the suite having it cleaned periodically if Mr. Wingate wasn't such an intimidating individual.

"Don't worry, I'll pay tomorrow as I leave," the monkey man said dryly "I wish to dine in my suite in half and hour."

"Of course, Mr. Wingate. Any preference?"

"A lot of bananas," he said dryly, causing the man to blink "leave them in front of the door, knock and get lost," he added as he got up the stairs to his room. It had been a long walk from Mount Yamanouchi, and he was tired and irritable.

He got inside the room and went to the window, purposely ignoring the strongbox in the corner where he had stuffed the parts of the obsidian Monkey he had retrieved: he couldn't allow himself to think of anything else besides his immediate needs yet. He wasn't sure he would be able to stand thinking too much now.

"Get in," he said as he opened the window, allowing the monkey ninjas to get inside "and stop whining, you're going to eat soon. Wait a few moments after the knock and get the food," he added as walked to the bathroom. He usually wouldn't care if anyone saw his monkeys in a hotel, but he realty wasn't in the mood for discussing with anyone. Everything he wanted now was a hot bath, a comfortable bed and, most of all, a night of deep, dreamless sleep.

He had come to dread even his own dreams, he thought later as he rested his head on a pillow for the first time in many weeks. He chased away the thought and closed his eyes, trying to not think about anything. He had been trying to get a grasp of everything that had happened since the previous day, and he really didn't know what he was supposed to think or feel anymore.

Trying to plan what to do next didn't help either – without a goal to work for, he really didn't know what to do: his useless efforts to become the Ultimate Monkey Master had been the centre of his life for years. What was he supposed to do now? What should be his first step to put some order in his life now? The more he tried to understand, the worse his headache grew.

He gave a frustrated sigh. Meditation could help him to clear the confusion in his mind, but he felt too tired to ever sitting up. He would do that the next day – for now he would just try to keep his mind as free as he could. He tried to concentrate on how large and comfortable the bed was, unlike the mattress he slept on while he was in Yamanouchi – but it didn't seem to comfort him in any way.

Despite his efforts, his mind went back to the moment Yuki had pressed her lips against his one last time – God, what would he give to feel her warmth once again! He shivered as he wrapped the sheets tightly around himself, then he frowned as he felt something against his arm.

"What the…?"

His eyes snapped open to see a pair of small, beady eyes guiltily looking back at him. "Chippy!" he growled, causing the monkey to jump back with an apologetic squeal "what do you think you're doing _here_?"

Chippy squeaked nervously, and Monkey Fist gritted his teeth. "I don't care if you're cold! Go to sleep with the others and –" he trailed off as he heard a slight snoring coming from the end of the bed. He sat upright to look, and he saw a large bump under the sheets – his other monkey ninjas were sleeping on the bed already. They had been so silent he hadn't heard them…the downturns of training them so well, he thought.

"Wonderful," he muttered as he leaned back on the pillow – he would have normally yelled them away, but he was so tired that ever getting angry felt like a waste of energy. He just gave Chippy an annoyed glance as he sat next to his head, looking at him pleadingly. "Alright, you can stay – _just_ this time, and only because I barely have the strength to move. But let me hear a whimper and you're all getting out of here. Have I made myself clear enough?"

The monkey nodded enthusiastically, but he still didn't move. Monkey Fist yawned and muttered something about teaching that monkeys a lesson before closing his eyes. He grimaced as he felt Chippy poking his shoulder to get his attention. "What _now_?" he snapped, annoyed.

Chippy hesitated for a moment before he squealing softly, causing Monkey Fist to sigh. "No, I don't know what I'm going to do yet. Why should it matter –" he trailed off as Chippy whimpered something "of course not! What makes you think I'd get rid of you?" he asked, bewildered.

The monkey's reply seemed to anger him. "I never said I don't need your help anymore! And even if I didn't, I…" he paused and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. A part of him was outraged by the idea that one of his minions could have thought he would be capable of getting rid of them just because he didn't need them anymore – yet, he had thought the same thing of his monkey ninjas: until the moment Sensei had showed him they were still waiting for him outside the school, he had just assumed they had left him to his fate and fled. He had been surprised to find out that his minions hadn't abandoned him right after his defeat or while he was prisoner in Yamanouchi – there was no logic reason why they should stay loyal to a fallen leader…yet they had, and the fact they were still staying by his side after all that had happened meant much more to him than he could ever admit to himself.

They were all that he had left now.

"You served me well…most of times," he finally muttered, giving Chippy a stern look – he hadn't forgotten the monkey's behaviour a couple of years back, when he had fought him to protect Stoppable. How could that monkey-phobic buffoon ever win his friendship was beyond him…but after all, Monkey Fist thought bitterly, he was the Monkey Master. He felt a sharp pain in his chest at the thought, and he quickly turned his attention back to Chippy. "I have no reason to get rid of any of you – how did you get such a foolish idea?"

The monkey seemed immensely relieved by his answer, and Monkey Fist found himself swallowing a lump in his throat, cursing himself for getting so ridiculously sentimental. "Now sleep," he said dryly as he closed his eyes and yawned, resting his head on the pillow again "bother me again with such idiotic questions, and you're sleeping outside."

Chippy just nodded and yawned as well – it had been a tiring day for everyone after all. Monkey Fist frowned slightly as he felt a warm weight against his shoulder indicating that Chippy had decided to use him as a pillow. He was about to protest, but he felt so tired that he couldn't even bring himself to open his eyes: his eyelids had never felt so heavy. He just sighed– there would be plenty of time to deal with him later after all, he thought confusedly as he let himself drift into sleep.

By the time Chippy began to snore, he was so deep in his sleep that he didn't even stir once – and for one time's sake, despite the recent events and the uncertainty surrounding his future, his sleep was a peaceful one.

* * *

"No! For the last time, _we're not there yet_!" Monkey Fist snapped, causing the monkey ninjas to cringe. He had tried to be patient, but being asked 'are we there yet?' at least ten times in half an hour had proved to be too much for his nerves. "Now just stay still and let me drive, will you?" he growled.

Even though he was tired due to the jet lag, he had preferred to use the car he had left to the airport to get back rather than taking a cab – he had to stay concentrated to drive, and that would prevent him from thinking. He had been trying to keep himself concentrated on something since the moment he had awakened – he knew he was going to have to think about what he could do with himself sooner or later, but he tried to take as much time as he could: it was so much easier concentrating on one task at time rather than facing the challenge of completely rebuilding his life.

Therefore, he couldn't repress a shudder as he stopped in front of the main entrance of his castle and glanced up. That place had been his home since his birth, and it was probably one of the few places he felt completely comfortable in – but now he didn't feel like he was home at all. The mere idea of staying there without any other company of his monkey ninjas again was unbearable rather than comforting as it would have been just months before.

"Bring the luggages inside," he ordered flatly as he opened the gate and unwillingly stepped in, followed by his minions. He stopped to glance at the dark, cold hallway in front of him, and as the gate closed behind him he felt trapped, as if he was being sealed inside his own grave. The thought caused a shiver to run down his spine, and he shook his head as if trying to get rid of those morbid thoughts.

He turned to see his monkey ninjas questioningly looking at him, still holding the luggages containing the parts of the Obsidian Monkey he had retrieved. Monkey Fist turned his gaze away, unable to look at them.

_But you will have to, just as you'll have to decide what to do with yourself._

He gritted his teeth. "Bring them in my room," he said coldly as he stepped past them and headed to the living room "it's chilling in here – what are you waiting for? Light up the fire!"

Despite the dust, sitting on his armchair again felt familiar and somewhat comforting. He rested his chin in his hand as he absentmindedly watched some monkey ninjas starting to light up a fire while another one went to fetch him his robe and slippers. He was going to have to get back to his old training routine starting from the next morning, he decided, not to mention his meditation schedule. And after that…well…

He bit his lower lip. He really didn't know what he could do aside from training, and he wasn't used to it: he was used to always have something to work for, even before he became obsessed with Mystical Monkey Power; there was always some research to focus his attention on. And now that he didn't have anything to work for, what could he do with himself?

His life was completely in his hands again, and for the first time in years he felt completely lost – it was just pathetic, he thought as the monkey ninjas finally managed to light up the fire. He relaxed a little, slightly comforted by the warmth.

He blinked as one of the monkey squealed to get his attention. "No, you don't have to clean up now. It can wait until tomorrow. We will start training again tomorrow morning at six, by the way. And no, don't bother with dinner, I have no appetite," he added, taking a mental note to never eat anything in an airport again as he turned back to stare into the fire "now get lost."

The monkey ninjas turned back to look at their master for a moment before getting out from the room – he was slumped in the armchair, unmoving, staring blankly at the fire. He had often had moments like that over the years, usually after one of his schemes had been spoiled – but each time he would react quickly, never giving up, always eager to get to work again in order to achieve his goal. But this time it was different – he had no real goal now, and they couldn't recall one single time he had looked so defeated and so unwilling to fight back. They didn't really want to leave him like that, but since he had ordered them to do so…well, they had to obey and hope he would feel better.

As the monkey ninjas left the room, Monkey Fist almost regretted ordering them to leave – now he was really alone, and the silence in the room was almost unbearable. He briefly glanced back to the empty room, and he immediately turned his gaze back to the fire, trying to keep his mind busy somehow. His thoughts went back to the obsidian items he had brought back in England with him, causing him to shift uncomfortably – he had to get rid of those items: even thinking about them was a painful reminder of the worst mistake he had ever done, and he wasn't eager to look at them again.

He would leave them to some museum, he decided. He would get rid of them, and it could be a start to get back to something similar enough to his old life – he was sure enough many museums would be interested even though the relic was not complete.

_And what if it was?_

The thought caused him to swallow – it wasn't the first time he wondered about that, and every time he did he felt a terrible coldness spreading in his soul. What would have happened if Yuki hadn't found him in time? What if she had faced him after the Obsidian Monkey was complete, after he got the power he craved for? He was sure she wouldn't just step back, no matter what – he was sure she would have tried to fight him anyway, no matter how powerful he was, no matter if she had no chances to win…but what about him? What would have he done in that case?

_You would have just destroyed her – you know you would. And guess what? You wouldn't have cared. You wouldn't have spared her a single thought after her death._

The thought was horrible enough to make him shudder. It was true, and he knew it – had he gotten the power he wanted before Yuki could stop him, he wouldn't have cared if she lived or died anymore: he would have lost whatever was left of his soul.

"I wish I had given up when I still had a chance," he muttered to the empty room. He felt horrible every time he thought back at the days Yuki had spent there – he had gotten to taste the happiness he could have, and he had given up everything to go on with his insane quest. He had never realized how much she meant to him until it was too late – he had proved himself to be nothing but a fool, and he would pay the consequences with a life of loneliness and regrets.

Monkey Fist closed his eyes, the flames still dancing behind his closed eyelids for a few moments as he began to think how things could be like had he just asked Yuki to stay when he could. God, how different things would have been! He would have spared so much agony to both of them, and now she would be by his side – he wouldn't have come to live as finished man now.

_Alright, enough with the self-pitying. You're getting pathetic._

He shook his head, as if trying to get such thoughts out of his mind. He knew he shouldn't think like that – he was supposed to react, to find a something to live fore – but he just had no idea of how could he do that after so many years being only devoted to his thirst of power.

Getting back to his old job would probably be the most sensible choice – what else could he ever do? – but the idea made him uncomfortable. He highly doubted the academic world would welcome him back now that his reputation had crumbled – besides, would he be able to resist the temptation to just stop struggling and sink back in his obsession should he find some mystical relic around the world?

_You gave up on the Lotus Blade already – you can control yourself._

_It's too risky._

_You can't just stay here to rot for the rest of your life. You had your chance to be happy, and you wasted it; end of the story. You can't keep wasting your life wondering what would have happened hadn't you been such a fool._

Monkey Fist was snapped from his thoughts by a soft squealing. He gazed to the door to see the other monkey ninjas intently looking at him, then he glanced down to see a monkey standing just beside his armchair. He frowned, annoyed. "I told you to get lo–" he trailed off as he saw that the monkey was holding a tray with a cup of tea. He hadn't ordered his monkeys to make him some tea yet, so it was probably some clumsy attempt to cheer him up. He reached to take the cup – the tea was still hot, and the familiar warmth in his hands felt oddly comforting.

Well, maybe it hadn't been _such_ a clumsy attempt, he mused as he sipped some tea, warmth spreading over his body like a blanket. How much time had it been since last time he had some good tea? He leaned back on the armchair and turned to look at his monkey ninjas for a moment, but he immediately turned his glance back to the cup. "Now leave me alone," he finally said, still avoiding to look at them.

He kept his blank gaze fixed on the cup of tea as he heard the monkey ninjas leave, closing the door behind them. He turned to make sure that they had truly left and that none of them could hear him as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you."

Outside the living room, the monkey ninjas were exchanging some worried glares, saying nothing. It wasn't like they really thought a cup of his favourite tea would have been enough to make him feel better, but they really didn't know what else they could do to help their master. It looked like the only thing they could do was to just wait and hope for him to get better in time.


	45. Undesired visit

_Author's notes__: alright, I admit I already had a part of this chapter written – I'm not getting faster to write, though I would like to _: P

_I skimmed a bit (not too much, I hope) over Monty's situation during his first two weeks back home: I tried to be as detailed as I could, but I realized there was the risk of getting too boring. Writing something interesting__ about a guy that spends his time regretting what he's done without really doing anything to make things better is harder than I thought XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

A few days passed slowly, then a couple of weeks – two horrible, dreadfully empty weeks – and it was soon clear to all the monkeys that their master wasn't going to get better that soon. He only seemed like his usual self during training, while giving them instructions and snapping at them for the slightest mistakes – for the rest of the time he would just sit on his armchair, staring at the fire or gazing out of the window with empty eyes, barely speaking unless for complaining about something.

That, of course, when he wasn't meditating like he was doing now. He got terribly angry when they tried to make him snap out from his trance for whatever reason, so they had quickly it was better to not disturb him, no matter how worried they got…but enough was enough – no matter how angry he would get, they had to make him snap out of it: they were not going to let him skip lunch again.

"What _now_?" Monkey Fist snapped angrily as his monkey ninjas called for him, interrupting his concentration "I told you to not bother me!"

The money ninjas squealed apologetically, and he seemed to calm down a little as he saw one of them was handling him a bowl of fruit. He glanced at the clock – it was lunchtime already: he had been meditating for nearly five hours. The thought caused him to grimace slightly, but he just took the bowl with his lunch, giving his minions with a brief nod before he began to silently eat, not glancing at them again.

The monkey ninjas watched him with some concern as he ate. He spent more and more time just meditating, and it made them uncomfortable: their master had often used meditation to just forget his problems for a while, but he always faced them eventually…now he spent so much time meditating that it seemed like he would never stop escaping from reality. Watching their master living as a shadow of what he used to be, merely existing instead of living, made them feel horribly helpless. They wished they could do something – but how can you help someone who doesn't seem to want any help?

They winced as their master spoke. "What are you doing still here?" he asked with an annoyed expression. His minions seemed hesitant for a moment, then one of them finally dared to ask something.

Monkey Fist just shrugged and gave a joyless laugh. "Do I look fine to you?" he simply asked, his voice sounding horribly hollow. None of the monkey ninjas dared to reply.

"Leave me alone." Monkey Fist put the fruit aside, unable to eat anymore. He had hoped he could find peace one way or another – but he had been wrong, he thought bitterly. He was terribly temped to start meditating again, and it took all his willpower to not do so – meditation had become his only way to forget the situation he was in, to forget how meaningless his life had become.

He gritted his teeth at the thought – he felt like a coward everytime he let his mind sink into nothingness, knowing his only purpose was to escape from reality. It wasn't like him escaping like that: he had always reacted to adversity – but this time it was different.

He had nothing to believe in, nothing to work for; the only thing he had was the knowledge he had destroyed his life with his own hands. What was he supposed to do with himself now?

Monkey Fist shivered at the mere idea of spending the rest of his life like that. He shifted uncomfortably on the armchair, almost wishing for Sensei to somehow appear out of thin air to say something infuriatingly wise that could help him somewhat…but of course nothing happened: everything was up to him again.

A timid squealing snapped him from his thoughts, causing him to grimace – it looked like his monkey ninjas hasn't left the room yet, but he was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed. "Yes, yes, whatever – you can get out for a walk," he grumbled "now _leave_."

He sighed and rubbed his temples as he heard his monkey ninjas leaving, mildly grateful to them for snapping him out of his thoughts. Maybe he should go with them: the weather was unusually sunny – adding insult to injury, he thought as he got up and glanced out of the window with a heavy heart to see his minions getting outside. They seemed to be enjoying it the nice weather – maybe a walk would have been better than just staying in there.

He let his gaze wander outside he window. He could stand being alone: he had always been a loner anyway. What he couldn't stand was that horrible emptiness that never left his soul. His castle felt like a prison – he had wasted too much of his life alone behind those walls in his useless attempts to become the Ultimate Monkey Master to feel comfortable living in there. Not without something to work for. Not without Yuki.

_Why don't you just leave then?_

Monkey Fist swallowed. He had been tempted to leave more than once: he could just move in his hideout in the Amazon rainforest and live there, away from everyone, instead of struggling to rebuild a life that was completely lost to him. Maybe living there as the animal he had tried to become would have helped him to find some peace: the world would be quick to forget him, and maybe he could hope to forget as well. Yet he couldn't bring himself to do so – his own pride prevented him from just giving up already…but he couldn't bring himself to try either. The task of putting the pieces of his life back together seemed impossible.

_If you don't, you will have to spend your whole life like this: sitting here, doing nothing, alone with your regrets. How long can you go on before you go insane? How many months? How many years?_

Monkey Fist's blood ran cold at the thought.

_You have nothing left to live for, and you still cling to this sad excuse of life. If you don't do anything to make it better it would be quicker and more honorable just ending it – but you've become too much of a coward to do that._

_I would be a coward if I did. It would be like escaping._

_Don't make me laugh, you already are escaping. You're living secluded from the world with no hopes or desires. All you can do is just sitting here wondering how different things could be hadn't you betrayed Yuki and meditating to escape your own thoughts. Face it – without the old man watching over you, you aren't even capable of putting your life together again: you just keep hiding from your responsibilities with meditation and self-loathing. How can you say you're not a coward? You're giving up on yourself._

Monkey Fist closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the window.

_You once were stronger than that. You once had more courage. You would have fought back – you would have done everything that needed to be done to reach your goal._

_That's the point: I have no goal to reach._

_No goal to reach? Do you now value yourself so little that putting your life back together is not a goal to you? Or maybe you're giving up because you don't think it's worth the effort. You're giving up because you don't really think you deserve anything better than the miserable existence you're leading now._

_Do I?_

_That's not the point – you're choosing the easiest way. Do you remember what the old man said about just loathing yourself without doing anything to make things better?_

The monkey man swallowed. _Self-loathing is nothing but mere self-satisfaction._

_Precisely. You found the strength to react in Yamanouchi – why can't you now? _

Monkey Fist snarled, exasperated by how his thoughts kept going in circle. "I don't know!" he muttered to the empty…well, the _almost_ empty room.

"You know, it's not so odd for a villain to rant – but don't you think that talking with yourself is taking it too far?"

He froze as he heard the familiar voice coming from behind him – it was so unexpected that it took him a few moments to recognize it. God, what did they want from him _now_? How long had they been there without him noticing? He gritted his teeth as he turned to face Kim Possible, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest as he saw Stoppable – the Monkey Master, he thought grimly – standing next to the teen heroine, swallowing the last bite of some kind of fast-food garbage.

The mere idea that buffoon was the Monkey Master was both insulting and horribly painful, but he let nothing but disgust show up on his face – what a waste, a such power in the hands of that buffoon! He forcefully turned his gaze away from him and looked at Kim. "I'm sure you are aware that this is violation of private property," he said, his eyes narrowed "what do you want?"

Kim glared back at him. "Oh, _please_. You know why we're here – so why don't you spare us some work and just give the statue back?" she said, looking at him carefully. He was in a surprisingly good shape considering how badly wounded he was about three months before…but there was something in his pose and expression that somewhat told her he hadn't quite mentally recovered yet: something seemed to have changed, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what. She wondered what had happened while he was under Sensei's care.

"I have no idea of what you're talking about," Monkey Fist said with a shrug, showing no sign of wanting to fight and purposely avoiding to look at Ron – he was a terrible reminder of how he had wasted his life "is it some kind of curse, having you stalking me even when I do _nothing_?" he said, emphasizing the last word.

"C'mon, you know the drill," Ron spoke, causing him to flinch "break into a museum. A freaky monkey-god golden statue stolen. Who else could do that? You're the only monkey obsessed psycho around here."

"I see you still have the tact if an elephant in a porcelain store," he said dryly, still avoiding eye contact.

"The point is," Kim said "that there's no one else that would break into the British Museum to steal some monkey idol."

"I beg to differ – as the buffoon said, it was a golden statue. Anyone wanting to make easy money could want to steal it…not to mention that the golden statue of Hanuman is a prized piece for a lot of collectors," Monkey Fist pointed out, somewhat annoyed by how quickly they had blamed him. Yes, it was normal they would suspect him first – but this was yet another reminder of how difficult it would be getting back to his old life. To everyone in the world, he was the 'monkey obsessed psycho' – no longer a respected archaeologist and explorer.

Kim had to admit he had a point. "Well…" she paused and blinked "wait a minute – I never said the name of the missing statue! How did you know it?" she asked, looking at him with suspicion.

Monkey Fist shrugged. "There is only one golden statue of a Monkey God in the British Museum, and it's Hanuman's statue. I know it because I am the one who found that idol," he said a little bitterly, and he felt a brief twinge of rage at the thought it had been stolen. It had been one of his first discoveries – the first truly important one of his career. How proud he was of his work back then! He was still young, just graduated from Oxford, and everyone could easily predict a brilliant future for him.

God, how wrong everyone had been!

"C'mon, dude – you're always after some freaky monkey idol. Do you really expect us to believe you have nothing to do with this?"

"Precisely, Stoppable," he spat out his name as if it was poison "now, if you don't mind, I'd ask you to leave my property before I call the police," he added with a sneer, remembering how outraged Possible had been last time he had threatened to send the police after them for a change – but this time the threat didn't seem to work, for Kim just shrugged with a smirk.

"I wouldn't do that – we have an interesting story they would be glad to listen…"

The slyness in her voice caused his sneer to fade. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that they would be interested to know what you were doing on Mount Yamanouchi three months ago, don't you think? It was not exactly some innocent vacation…"

There was a long, tense silence as Monkey Fist stared at her, bewildered. "How do you know…?" he finally asked as he finally managed to find his voice. He suddenly seemed so shaken that both Kim and Ron felt uneasy, remembering the awful conditions he was in when they had seen him in Yamanouchi – he hadn't seen them, so it was probable he didn't even know they had been there. Why hadn't she thought before speaking?

"Well," Ron said, with an oddly guilty look "we just saw you after you were captured…after the accident, you know."

Monkey Fist gritted his teeth as he realized they had seen him wounded, unconscious and completely helpless in the hand of his enemies – had they also heard him crying out, or worse yet sobbing in his sleep? The thought was awfully humiliating to say the least. Why hadn't Sensei told him about it?

_He probably wanted to spare you the humiliation – but Possible wasn't as considerate._

"What where you doing there?" he finally asked, his mouth feeling terribly dry. He refused to think they could know _everything_ – he wouldn't be able to stand it if they did.

"We located you with a microchip tracker, and we followed you," Kim finally said, then she bit her lower lip "we…don't know exactly what happened there: they didn't explain us much. I just warned Sensei and his students about your presence, and when we got there the accident had already happened."

Monkey Fist kept staring at her for a few moments. That explained everything – how could the Yamanouchi ninjas know he was up to something on the mountain, and how could Yuki find him so quickly. "You…warned them," he repeated slowly, his voice completely emotionless. Both Kim and Ron failed to see the dangerous, murderous gleam in his eyes.

"Of course, it was everything I could do," Kim shrugged "never wondered how did they find you?" she asked, completely oblivious of the effect her words were having on Monkey Fist – actually, she had always assumed that whatever accident had occurred to the monkey man had happened before they warned Sensei about his presence or shortly after: she thought that, without being warned, the Yamanouchi students wouldn't have found the monkey man before it was too late to help him.

In a way, she thought they had helped in saving his life – therefore she was completely taken by surprise as he let out a scream of rage that literally caused the walls to shake. She recovered quickly enough to dodge his vicious attack, his hand barely missing her head and smashing an ancient, valuable vase – but he didn't seem to care in the slightest, for he immediately attacked again.

"KP!" Ron exclaimed, rushing forward – but just as he did his pants dropped around his ankles, causing him to stumble on the ground. "Aw, man!" He let out a groan and began struggling to stand up and get his pants back in place as the fight between Kim and Monkey Fist went on. By his side, Rufus shook his head – did it just _have_ to happen every time?

"_You!"_ Monkey Fist growled, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Kim as he tried to hit her again "you have _no idea_ of what I went through because of you!"

Kim sidestepped his blow, clearly surprised – it wasn't the first time he attacked her, of course, but she couldn't recall any other time his attacks had been as vicious as they were now. He truly seemed out of his mind – was he really blaming them for the awful wounds he got when the cave collapsed on him? "Hey, wait! It's not our fault the cave collapsed!" she protested, blocking his blow "besides, you should thank us if you're not in jail right now!"

Her words just caused Monkey Fist's anger to increase as he realized they were really oblivious of the part they had played in…_everything_ that had happened. The suffering he had been through was also their fault, and they didn't even know it – they even expected him to be _grateful_! "Not your fault?" he repeated with a snarl as he finally managed to get a hold of Kim's wrist and bent it behind her back, blocking her and causing her to let out a hiss of pain "you ruined my life! Give me a good reason why I shouldn't–"

"Stay away from her!"

Everything happened in a split of a second: searing pain shot through his skull, the Mystical Monkey Power in him reacting as he suddenly sensed an incredible power. He let out a cry of pain, turning to face the source of the power – Ron Stoppable; Monkey Fist had barely enough time to see a blue glow surrounding the boy before he was sent crashing against the wall. He let out a pained gasp as his back violently hit the stone wall, then he fell forward with a thud, face to the ground.

He groaned and raised his gaze…and then he froze, a horrible sense of dread spreading in his soul as he saw Ron Stoppable standing between Possible and him, a blue glow surrounding him – the Ultimate Monkey Master.

He was not surprised: far from it. He had recognized that power as soon as he had sensed it and he had known the truth for some weeks now – yet watching that insufferable buffoon standing in front of him, glowing with the power he had devoted his whole _life_ to get and that he had accidentally _handled_ to him in that same castle…God, it was such an awfully ironic joke of destiny that a part of him was tempted to just start laughing himself into hysteria.

Ron grinned as the glow surrounding him began to fade. "Cool, uhu? I didn't think monkey stuff could be as great as you said, but maybe you…were…" his voice slowed down as he noticed the look of utter despair on the monkey man's face "…right," he finished, his voice oddly weak as Monkey Fist just dropped his still throbbing head back on the ground and closed his eyes, his forehead resting against the cold, hard stone floor. He didn't move or speak for a few moments, causing Kim and Ron to exchange a confused glare – had he passed out or something?

Ron was about to ask him if he was awake when he finally moved and slowly got back on his feet, not even looking at them. They just watched in silence as he sank back in his armchair, burrowing his face in his hands without speaking. Their confused glares turned into worried ones: now that wasn't normal – they had never seen that guy behaving like that, and it was worrying to say the least.

"Uh…dude? Are you okay?" Ron finally dared to ask, feeling kinda guilty for causing such a reaction – maybe he shouldn't have used his powers after all…but Kim was in danger, what else could he do?

Monkey Fist didn't move or turn to look at him, but he finally spoke, his voice sounding horribly shallow now – the voice of a defeated man. "What do you want from me? The golden statue? I don't have it. Search in the whole castle if you wish to – you won't find anything. Just leave me alone."

Ron blinked and turned to look at Kim, who seemed just as confused. Monkey Fist had never given up so easily, and he had never seemed so devastated – not even when his previous army of monkey ninjas had abandoned him. Witnessing Ron's powers with his eyes had been a terrible blow for him.

"You know, dude, you don't look well. Maybe you should take a break from…well…" Ron glanced at the empty room "…whatever you're doing here?" he suggested weakly.

Monkey Fist gave a bitter, joyless laugh. "That's the point, Stoppable – I'm doing nothing here," he said bitterly "and definitely not stealing," he added, glaring at Kim.

She held up her hands. "Alight, so…you say don't have the statue," she stated awkwardly, not really knowing how to behave. She had never dealt with an utterly crushed villain.

"That's what I've been telling you from the beginning," Monkey Fist growled, snapping out of his despair to give her a hateful glare – if gaze could kill, Kim would have dropped dead on the ground "if you're not going to accuse me of something, I want both of you to leave my property _now_. Haven't you caused enough damage already?"

Kim frowned. "Monkey Fist, I don't know what happened on Mount Yamanouchi – but whatever happened, it was not our responsibility. You shouldn't have ever been there in the first place, and…we had to do something to stop you. You can't blame us."

"Oh, really?" Monkey Fist sneered "you don't even know what happened, Possible. How can you be so sure it wasn't your fault?"

"Then tell us," Kim said, folding her arms "what happened?"

There was a long silence as they stared at each other. Monkey Fist gritted his teeth as he turned his gaze away from them – they could easily tell the subject pained him. "That's none of your business. Now leave."

"Uh…KP, maybe we should leave," Ron said tentatively. Witnessing his arch foe in that conditions made him feel horribly uneasy – he could _feel_ the pain and anguish he was in, and it was a dreadful sensation. Maybe the mystical power that bounded them had something to do with that odd empathy?

"Maybe someone else got that statue…it is made of gold, after all."

Kim hesitated. "Well…" she glanced and the monkey man again "alright, we believe you," she finally said – she had never thought she would ever say that to Monkey Fist of all people "do you have any idea of someone else that could be interested in that item?"

"Pretty much any collector existing," Monkey Fist snapped "I don't know who stole it, and I don't care. I only want you two to get out of here!"

"You don't care?" Kim frowned "but you said you're the one who found it! It _must_ mean something to you!"

"Well, it _doesn't_," the monkey man snarled "now go away, before I–" he abruptly trailed off and glanced at Ron, who cringed as he saw the grief in his enemy's eyes. Monkey Fist seemed to realize that was no treat to the Monkey Master, for he dropped his shoulders and sighed.

"Please," he finally said, his voice suddenly terribly weak "please, leave."

Kim swallowed and took a step back, bewildered by his sudden change of attitude, then she nodded. "Let's go, Ron," she said, though hating the idea of leaving Monkey Fist like that. It looked like she really couldn't do anything to help now, she thought somewhat sadly. Ron didn't seem any more happy than she was – man, even Rufus looked saddened – but they nodded and followed her to the door. What else could they do?

Monkey Fist sighed and closed his eyes. Even though it was nothing compared to the sorrow he felt, there was a part of him that hoped Team Possible would manage to find the golden statue of Hanuman – despite what he had said, it _did_ mean something to him: it was a reminder of his youth, of how much he used to love his job. The article about the statue's discovery was probably still somewhere in the castle, most likely into one of the boxes where he had put every reminding of his old life and career. His mother had been so proud of him that she had framed the article: she kept it on her nightstand until her death. He winced at the thought.

"Wait," Monkey Fist suddenly said almost without thinking, causing Ron and Kim to stop in their tracks to look at him questioningly. He cleared his throat before speaking again.

"I remember a collector that kept making offers for the item," he finally said "one Howard Bennett. He was very persistent, and he offered great amounts of money, which the museum always refused, of course. He eventually seemed to give up on buying the statue, but he said he would eventually get it one way or another. This happened some years ago, but…" he shrugged "it's just an hypothesis. Of all people I know, he's the only one I can think of with the resources and the intentions to steal the golden statue."

"It's a start," Kim said, grabbing her kimmunicator "Wade, I need you to track down one Howard Bennett..."

As Kim spoke with Wade, Ron turned to his arch foe – he was still avoiding to look at him, and the whole situation was rather awkward. "Er…you know, I think this whole Mystical Monkey thing is way overrated," he finally said, causing Monkey Fist to raise an eyebrow "I mean…it's nothing that special after all," he added with a sheepish grin, while Rufus nodded at each word as if to prove his point "okay, there's the cool blue glow, the mystical strength-thing and you can kick alien butts and so on, but –"

"Is this supposed to be some cheap attempt to make me feel better?" Monkey Fist cut him off, looking annoyed rather than comforted. Well, it wasn't like Ron hadn't really thought it would work anyway – but hey, it was better having him annoyed rather than crushed, right? "Uh…yeah."

"Then you can stop making a fool out of yourself. If you want me to feel better, get out of my sight as soon as you can," he said coldly – he loathed being pitied for whatever reason, and the last thing he needed was the pity of the boy who had stolen the power form him. It was terribly humiliating.

_But he didn't steal anything from you. The power is rightfully his, and you know it – unlike you, he can really control it. He will not lose his mind to it like you did. He will not forget everything that matters. He will never let it ruin his life like you ruined yours. How does it make you feel?_

"Wade located this Bennett guy," Kim Possible's voice saved him from his own thoughts "he already got us a ride – but we have to move immediately," she said to her boyfriend, then she turned to Monkey Fist. She had to admit it was weird – first Drakken and Shego helping them to fight the Lowardians, and now this. Kim wondered again what had happened while he was in Yamanouchi – was this what Sensei meant when he had said he would learn his lesson? Why did he seem so miserable?

For a moment she was tempted to find out what had happened by asking Sensei directly, but she quickly decided against it. Whatever had happened, it was clear Monkey Fist didn't want them to know it – maybe they should just respect his wish. When they had agreed to let Monkey Fist stay in Yamanouchi instead of just sending him in jail again, Sensei had said they had changed his fate for the better – and now she truly hoped it was true. "Well, I didn't think I would ever say it to you, but…thank you for your help," she finally said. He just shrugged and glanced out of the window.

"Get Hanuman's statue back," he just said, his gaze oddly distant. Kim nodded – he _did_ care after all.

"Consider it done already," she said, looking unusually serious as she and Ron left the room. Ron stopped to glance back at him a moment before closing the door, and for a brief instant he could have sworn Monkey Fist's shoulders were trembling. He swallowed as he silently closed the door behind him and followed Kim down the dark hallway, his heart unusually heavy.

Man, there _had_ to be something they could do…


	46. First step in the right direction

_Author's notes__: I wasn't supposed to upload this cheater until the 14__th__ of September, when I get back from Greece…but I just couldn't wait. Ugh, I should have more will than that :P_

_Since I'm leaving in a few hours and I don't know when I'll get to use an Internet access, review replies might take a couple of days or so. Also, I have no idea of when I'll be able to get the next chapter done since I won't be ale to write while in Greece and I have a few exams a few days after I get back. In the meanwhile, I hope you'll like this one. _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Since their master lately spent pretty much every single moment of the day in the living room or in the dojo, the monkey ninjas were surprised when they didn't find him in there when they got back from their walk around the castle – a walk that, truth to be told, had taken most of the day: they needed some fresh air, and the weather was too good to miss the opportunity.

He wasn't even in his room – the door was open, as they had left it after cleaning, and it was clear nobody had gotten inside since then. Maybe he had decided to take a walk as well, but it was improbable: he hadn't left the castle once since when they had come back. Besides, it was odd he hadn't even left a note – he had never left without warning them. He was most likely somewhere else in the castle – there were a lot of rooms they were not allowed to get inside: if he was still in the castle he probably was inside one of those rooms.

They didn't know what he kept in there, but they knew that everytime he went in one of those rooms he just wanted to stay alone with himself…and when he did, it was always better to not bother him.

* * *

Monkey Fist coughed as he opened another box, keeping his eyes closed until the dust settled – maybe it was time to get that room cleaned after all. It hadn't been cleaned since when Bates left his service: he had never allowed his monkey ninjas inside, for he had always tried to keep his past life separated from them and everything they represented.

Besides, he had never felt the need of having them cleaned: he had been there just a couple of times in years – the last time he had he was with Yuki, he thought bitterly as he turned to glance at the portraits hanging on the walls. He bit his lower lip as his gaze fell on the parent's portrait and immediately turned away.

"**I just can't believe you threw away a portrait of your family to put some monkey picture in its place."**

Monkey Fist shook his head almost angrily as he began rummaging inside a large box in the corner, and he cursed under his breath as he cut his palm with some broken glasses inside. "Blast it," he grumbled, examinating the cut on his palm. Thankfully it was not deep – he would get it cleaned as soon as he was done there.

"And I don't even know what I'm doing here," he said to no one in particular. It was only partially true – he knew perfectly what he was looking for…but he couldn't explain why was he looking for it. Oh, well – it was always better than sitting in the living room, endlessly replaying in his mind the moment he had seen Ron Stoppable standing in front of him, glowing with power.

He gritted his teeth, shaking his head as if trying to get the image out of his mind, and he began to search again, this time more carefully – and in a few moments he had found what he was looking for: a decorated frame covered with dust, the same frame his mother had treasured until her death.

He hesitated for a moment before sweeping the dust away with his sleeve, and he took a sharp breath as he saw a familiar face – his own face, almost twenty years earlier: he had forgotten there was a photo in the article. Dear God, had he ever been that young?

_Yes, you have. A long time ago._

He swallowed a lump in his throat as he observed the old photo. Though he didn't let it show up, he had never liked having to pose for pictures since it required turning his attention from what he had found, even though it was just for a few instants: he would just force himself to smile politely before immediately turning his attention back to the item as soon as the picture had been taken.

But that first time the photographer had taken the picture without warning, while he was still examinating the relic he had found – the golden statue of Hanuman. His young face was covered with dirt and mud, but he was smiling excitedly, gloating with pride and joy as he examined the item, that precious piece of past he had brought back to surface.

_How many years have it been since last time you felt like that?_

_I don't remember._

Monkey Fist sighed and slowly got up, still holding the frame in front of his eyes. He took a deep breath and turned to look at the family portrait a few feet from him. He had expected to feel the urge to just turn back and run outside like every other time he had looked at it over the years, but he didn't this time. For the first time in years, he felt at peace while looking at the family portrait.

_At least they never saw what you let yourself become._

_No, they never did._

He bit his lower lip as he watched himself in his mother's arms, just a few months old, and the adoring way both his parents were looking down at him caused him to cringe a little – the thought he would probably never meet his own son seemed even more unbearable now.

_It's probably better this way: you would never be a good father – he deserves better. They both deserve better._

Monkey Fist nodded to himself. "Yes," he whispered absentmindedly, thinking about the lonely, empty days he had spent in that castle since when he had come back "they deserve better."

_But what if he'll decide to meet you someday? He would be even more ashamed of his father should he ever find out what kind of life you're living. You need to find a purpose for yourself: you can't go on like this. _

_He would despise me anyway; I can just imagine what will he hear about me in Yamanouchi._

_He will just hear the truth, but he will make up is mind about you by himself. I don't think Yuki would ever want your own flesh and blood to hate you._

Monkey Fist closed his eyes, trying to recall the sensation of her lips lightly pressing against his the last time he had seen her. _No, she wouldn't._

He opened his eyes and gave another glance to the portrait before leaving the room with the frame still in his hand, closing the door behind him. He took a few steps to the stairs leading to the living room.

_And now you're going to start meditating to forget everything, aren't you? My, what a weak coward you've become!_

_What else could I ever do? Even if I tried to do something to change my life, who would be willing to give me a chance?_

_Right now? Nobody in their right man._

_How very comforting._

_No one ever said it would be easy. You will have to do something first if you want anyone to give you credit. If you can't bring yourself to work on your public image now, you could at least start fixing other matters._

_Like what?_

_Take a guess. You didn't start out so bad in there._

Monkey Fist just stood there for a moment, unsure, then he glanced down at the frame in his hand. He hesitated for a few minutes before turning and walking to the main entrance with quick steps. He would get back to meditation later, he decided – now he had a visit to pay.

* * *

Sensei frowned slightly as he watched a few students getting inside the school after the afternoon training, looking mortified. It looked like Yuki was being too hard on the students again, he mused. She had never been the most patient of teachers, but she had never been as stern as she was being lately: the pregnancy definitely wasn't helping. She was often nervous, and she easily snapped at the students at every mistake – you would tell she considered them her personal punching bags sometimes. She had never behaved like that before, and she had to stop before she destroyed some student's self-esteem.

"Yuki," he called, stepping closer to her "may I speak with you for a moment?"

The serious undertone in his voice didn't escape her. "Yes, of course," she said, trying to adjust her belt – she was about four months expecting now, and much to her discomfort her garb now felt too tight: it looked like she was going to have to accept Keiko's offer to borrow one of hers "what is it about?"

Sensei sighed. "I'm afraid you're being too hard on the students lately."

She frowned. "I'm not, I just…well…" she hesitated under his gaze "maybe a little," she finally said, shifting uneasily "they are not fighting at their best," she added, as if trying to justify herself.

"Have you ever thought they might be holding back because of your pregnancy?" Sensei asked serenely, faintly amused as he remembered how angry Monkey Fist got every time his monkey ninjas held back during training because they were afraid to hurt him further.

Yuki didn't seem to appreciate the thought much more than he did, for she let out an exasperated groan. "I told them not to!" she snapped "I can handle them!"

Sensei frowned a little. That was another subject he wanted to talk about, but she had to calm down first. "They are just worried for you," he said "Yuki, I understand how you feel –"

"No, you don't," Yuki cut him off, turning her gaze away from the old man "you have no idea."

"You're right, I don't know how you feel – but I do know that you're doing is not fair to them. Everything that happened to you is not their fault," Sensei said sternly "they are just afraid to hurt your baby – you should appreciate it. You would have just a few months ago."

Yuki sighed. "You're right," she admitted, feeling rather guilty. She never meant to be so hard on them, but sometimes she felt so hurt and irrationally furious that she couldn't help it – and that was something a teacher should never do, she thought. What was the matter with her lately?

The old man just nodded, thoughtfully glancing at her stomach. "Another thing, Yuki – I think you should stop with any advanced training until the baby is born," he said, already knowing she wasn't going to take it well.

"What?" Yuki looked at him, stunned "wait, if it's because of how I behaved lately, I –"

"No, it's not about that – it's about your child. You are seventeen weeks expecting now, aren't you?"

She gritted her teeth. "Yes, but this doesn't mean I can't fight!"

"Oh, I'm sure you can still fight now – but it will soon come the day you won't be able to, and I cannot allow you to take the risk of getting your baby hurt during training," he raised an eyebrow as he saw the almost terrified expression on Yuki's face "you should be thinking about your baby's safety now – why is training so important?" he asked, though knowing the answer: Yuki felt the need to keep training because concentrating on something so familiar prevented her from thinking too much about what had happened and about he responsibilities she was going to have to face as a mother – the mere idea of having nothing to do during the day was enough to scare her.

"I…it's everything I can do," she said quickly "what else do I have to do?"

"Thinking about your child's safety is the best thing you could do now, don't you think?" Sensei replied quietly "after all, you chose to stay here because you wanted the best for him, am I correct?"

Yuki opened her mouth to speak, but she eventually seemed to change her mind. She looked down and just nodded, her hand resting on her belly and her heart feeling terribly heavy. The idea of just staying there, having nothing to do all day was almost unbearable, but Sensei was right: she had to think about the child's safety.

"You're right – again. I've been a pain lately, haven't I?" she asked, smiling a bit sadly.

Sensei chuckled. "Oh, it's comprehensible," he said, waving his hand dismissively "how are you feeling?"

Yuki shrugged. "Hungry. Tired. Restless. Sick. Scared. Worried. Angry. Lost. Guilty. Usually all at once," she said. She was about to add 'did I mention heartbroken?', but she decided against it. She didn't feel like saying it aloud – and Sensei surely knew it anyway. "I didn't think a pregnancy could be so much trouble."

Sensei chuckled. "I guess it doesn't help," he said "but you are not seriously blaming it for everything you are feeling, are you?"

"Of course not, but…" she paused and bit her lower lip "it's easier this way," she added quietly.

Sensei nodded. "I understand. You miss him, don't you?"

Yuki nodded. Even though there had been no contact between them for most of the time he had spent there in Yamanouchi, she found herself missing his presence. Spying him without him even knowing she was alive had been painful, but this was even worse. "I shouldn't feel like this," she said, sounding slightly frustrated "I should forget him."

"Do you honestly think your will ever be able to just forget the father of your child? You don't forget so easily someone you love so much, Yuki: no matter what he did, no matter how many flaws he has."

She sighed. "I know, but I wish I could. I…" she swallowed "I sometimes wish everything that happened was just a horrible nightmare."

"I understand."

"It's not fair," Yuki went on, suddenly feeling terribly enraged "I was an idiot to trust him, but…I didn't deserve this," she whispered, her voice trembling a little.

"I doubt he's having a better time than you do," Sensei replied serenely "this is hurting both of you."

His words caused Yuki to cringe slightly – she hadn't thought about what Monty's life could be like now, back in his castle with only his monkeys with him, knowing that he had wasted his life and that he had forever lost both her and the child. She thought back at the pained, regretful look he had given her before leaving. "Do you think…he's still suffering?" she asked, feeling terrible for him and slightly guilty for some reason.

"Yes, he is."

Yuki bit her lower lip. "Don't you think things might get better for him?" she asked almost hopefully.

"Maybe. He might find something to do with himself – but happiness if far beyond his reach now. He knows he made the wrong choices, and he will have to deal with it for the rest of his life…but I had hoped it won't be the same for you."

Yuki blinked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Are you completely sure you made the right decision by giving up on him?"

"Of course," Yuki replied, a little too quickly to sound honest "I mean…what else could I do? I didn't have much of a choice."

"Yes, you did – there is always a choice. You made the one that seemed the best one, and you're regretting it. Have you ever wondered how things could be had you decided to give him another chance?"

"Yes, I have, but…" she shook her head almost angrily "I couldn't take the risk again."

"You are afraid he'll hurt you again, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't you?"

"Anyone would – but if you stay, you'll be unhappy: I know you well enough to know that. You would spend your life wondering how different things could be had you given him a second chance, and that would really be unfair both to you and your child. He would grow up watching you suffer every day."

There was a brief silence as Yuki stared at the old man, speechless. "Are you saying I should…?"

Sensei shook his head. "I'm just saying you should think very well about what you really want. You _could_ regret taking the risk, of course…but you'll _surely_ regret not taking it in time."

"It's too late now, I already–"

"Nonsense, it's not too late. You still have time to change your mind if you want to: don't let your fear blind your judgement."

Yuki gave a frustrated sigh. "It's useless. I can't trust my own judgement, I already messed up once – and I don't want to let him hurt me again. How can I make the right decision if I cannot trust him or myself anyway?"

The old man nodded. "I understand, of course. But tell me, Yuki – do you still trust _my_ judgement?"

She hesitated. "Yes, of course…" she swallowed "do you think…I could trust him?"

"Yes. Oh, I'm not saying everything would always be perfect – there are bound to be incomprehensions and difficult moments: he's still a deeply flawed man, and you're not perfect either. But he has learned his lesson: should you give him another chance, he wouldn't make the same mistakes again."

"I…" she swallowed, her head spinning a little "what about the child? In case you haven't noticed, he's far from being an ideal father," she said weakly, as if trying to find an excuse to not face another decision.

"You're right – he will probably never be an ideal father, as you say. He's bound to make mistakes with Michio – _both_ of you are bound to make mistakes. You don't have much maternal instinct yourself," he stated bluntly, causing Yuki to cringe "Monkey Fist probably wouldn't be a really good father – but if you give him a chance, he will _try_, just as you will. You will make mistakes, like pretty much every parent, but your son will understand eventually. There is no such thing as a perfect parent."

Yuki opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't say a word. She just stared dumbly at Sensei as he turned away and headed back to the school "Think about it, Yuki – you have all the time you need to think now."

For a few minutes Yuki just stared at him as he walked away, stunned by the realization that one of the reasons why Sensei had told her to quit training was forcing her to think. The idea of spending her days having to battle with her own thoughts in the attempt to make a decision _again_ caused her to groan.

"I can't take a break here…"

* * *

The family cemetery was even gloomier than he remembered during sunset, Monkey Fist thought as he walked past a few tombstones. Some of them were a few centuries old, and a few were starting to crumble to the ground – he absentmindedly noticed somebody must have tried to fix them somehow, which was odd. He hadn't been there in years, and he was sure nobody else had since when Bates had left: no one else had the keys – and why should anyone spend their time fixing old tombstones without even being paid anyway?

He just shrugged and went straight to the east side of the cemetery, where the most recent tombs where. He stopped for a moment to glance to a tombstone not very far from him – it was the grave of his father's younger brother. He had died during in a plane crash during some trip to Tibet, his last message to the rest of the family being some scribbled note that read 'gone to Tibet, don't wait for dinner'. Back then he was too young to remember what had happened, but Bates had told him that despite his grief for his brother's death, Matthew Fiske couldn't repress a laughter when he read the note again – 'so like Manfred', he had said – and he had made sure that those words, though slightly changed, were written on the marble tombstone that marked his brother's resting place: it now read _'Manfred H. Fiske, 1942 – 1973. Gone to Heaven, don't wait for dinner'_. Any time somebody asked the reason of such an…unusual choice of words, Matthew would just chuckle and say his brother would have loved it.

Monkey Fist smirked a little at the thought and walked past the tombstone, stopping in front of his parents' grave – his mother had asked to be buried with her husband after her death, and her wish had been granted. He frowned slightly as he noticed the now withered flowers in front of the tombstone: it looked like somebody else had paid a visit recently enough. He blinked a couple of times, puzzled, but he shrugged once again – what did it matter? It wasn't like anything had been damaged, he thought as he sank on one knee to grab the old flowers and throw them aside, feeling mildly guilty for never visiting that place in years.

"I don't think you would like or approve what I am now," he said quietly, almost without realizing he was speaking aloud. He glanced at the frame he still held in his left hand. "How different I've become, and how corrupted…" he added regretfully, keeping his gaze fixed on the young man he had been until his sight went blurry. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand almost angrily, trying his best to convince himself that something must have gone in his eyes to make his vision so darn blurry, and that the small drops that were now on the frame were just raindrops.

_Raindrops? Without one single cloud in the sky?_

_Shut up._

He bit his lower lip, trying to get a hold of himself, then he just put the frame in front of the tombstone and stood up again. "You probably would barely recognize me now. At least you were spared the agony of watching me turn into someone you would despise."

"I…truly don't think they would ever despise you, Milord."

Monkey Fist froze as he heard the familiar voice coming from behind him. The irony of the situation didn't escape him – it was the third time in barely two weeks somebody he would never expect to see again walked up to his back, and the second time it happened while he was standing in front of a grave. It seemed to have become some kind of habit, he mused.

"Bates?" he said as he turned, bewildered. It was Bates, indeed – he had some flowers in his hand, and he looked rather uneasy. Well, he couldn't blame him: it definitely was an awkward situation. They had never met since when he had left his service shortly after his first defeat by the hands of Ron Stoppable. "What are you doing here?" was all Monkey Fist managed to ask after a few moments of stunned silence.

The other man seemed even more uncomfortable – he didn't expect to find Lord Fiske there. He should have stayed silent and leave before he could notice his presence, but for some reason he could not…not upon hearing him saying such things. It had been so unexpected that for a few moments he had wondered if it wasn't just his imagination – since when did Fiske care of whatever his deceased parents would think of him? Had he immediately realized it _was_ real, he probably wouldn't have spoken at all.

"My apologies, Milord – it wasn't my intention to eavesdrop," he finally said, feeling as if he had been caught spying on purpose "I'm here to give my respects, and I happened to…overhear your words," he cleared is throat "it was not my place to say anything. It was very rude of me."

"Well…" Monkey Fist hesitated – what was he supposed to say? He turned to glance to the withered flowers on the ground "I suppose it was you that brought…those," he finally stated, as if trying to change subject.

"I take the liberty to come back every now and then," Bates admitted, glancing at the ground as if had been caught doing something shameful "I forgot to give you back the spare key to the cemetery when I…well…I'll give it back immediately if you wish me to, of course," he added quickly.

Monkey Fist felt a pang of guilt at the thought that Bates had kept visiting his parents' grave over the years while he hadn't even bothered to get inside the cemetery once in…five years? Ten? He couldn't even remember how long, he realized. "You can keep it," he finally said, then he paused, not quite sure of what he could say "you also fixed some graves on the north side, didn't you?"

"I did," he paused and glanced at the handkerchief wrapped around Monkey Fist's left hand "are you…injuried, Milord?"

The monkey man just shrugged. "Just a minor cut. You don't have to call me like that – you no longer work for me," he pointed out – being referred to that way once again felt oddly bittersweet "and you didn't have to take care of the graves either."

A slightly nostalgic expression crossed Bates' features "I know it, of course, but I'm afraid old habits are difficult to get rid of," he said. Monkey Fist shifted uncomfortably – even though leaving had eventually been Bates' decision, they both knew perfectly that it had been his growing obsession that had really driven him away.

"I understand," Monkey Fist cleared his throat and stepped back from the grave to allow him put the flowers in front of the tombstone "I hope it didn't take you too much to get here," he finally said.

"Not at all – I live in Cheltenham now. It took barely half an hour," Bates replied, feeling quite awkward as he put down the flowers. He blinked as he recognized the framed article in front of the tombstone: it had been one of Milady's most prized possessions. He was about to say something, but he immediately changed his mind as he noticed something that looked suspiciously like teardrops on the object.

He stood up took a few steps back, feeling more out of place than ever. "I should get going now," he finally said. Monkey Fist just nodded as he absentmindedly observed the flowers on the grave, faintly wondering if Bates kept visiting the cemetery because he felt guilty for breaking his promise to his father by leaving his service. It was probable, he thought. And, once again, it had been entirely his fault.

_Looks like you're always affecting negatively the lives of everyone around you._

"Well…" Bates hesitated "I'm glad I met you here, Milord," he said, a bit uncertainly. He was partially tempted to ask his former master what was he planning to do from now on – he certainly didn't sound proud of his behaviour in the last years a few minutes before – but he wasn't completely sure he did want to know whatever Lord Fiske was planning to do, though he somewhat hoped he would quit crime. Besides, it was no longer his business; asking wouldn't be discrete.

"So am I," Monkey Fist said quietly, turning back to the tombstone. He stayed silent for a few moments, staring blankly ahead. "Bates?" he finally called out, causing the other man to wince and stop in his tracks.

"Yes?"

_Do you really think they wouldn't despise me?_

The monkey man bit his lower lip, then he finally spoke without looking at him "Are you completely sure of what you said earlier?"

Bates didn't need him to be more specific to understand what he meant. He was suddenly reminded of the day Lord Fiske had asked him why people must die when he was just child – it had been in that same cemetery, shortly after his father's funeral. He couldn't give him any answer back then – but he could now. "Yes, Milord. I'm absolutely certain they never would."

The shadow of a smile appeared on Monkey Fist's lips – but he just nodded, not even turning to look at the other man. Bates stayed still for a moment, trying to figure out if he should say something – but he soon realized there was nothing more he could say, and it was clear Fiske didn't wish to speak any further: there was nothing he could do there. He silently wished Lord Fiske good luck as he turned and headed back to the gate.

Monkey Fist didn't move or speak as he listened Bates' steps fade away. He stood there for a few more minutes, his gaze fixed on the ground, and when he raised his eyes and turned he was once again alone in the cemetery. The meeting had been so brief and unexpected that he could have believed it had been just his imagination if it wasn't for the flowers that were now on his parents' grave along with the frame. He turned to glance to the tombstone once again, his gaze lingering on the small oval portraits on the tombstone for a few moments.

_He was right, you know – they would never despise you, no matter what._

Monkey Fist nodded slightly to himself as he finally turned and headed back to his castle, his heart feeling just a little lighter than before. The sun was quickly disappearing from the sky, he noticed – his monkey ninjas had to be wondering where he was. Maybe they were even worried for him, and the thought caused an odd warmth to spread in his chest – but he did his best to ignore it.

He wondered if the monkeys had begun to make dinner already: he hadn't eaten much lately, and he hadn't realized how hungry he was until now. But dinner would have to wait, he thought as he closed the cemetery's gate behind him. There was some work they had to get done that evening.

* * *

Much to the monkey ninjas' discomfort, the painting their master had ordered them to bring in the living room was much heavier than it seemed. It costed them all a valiant effort to get it to the living room – they had never noticed there were _some many_ stairs before – and when they finally did it they were rather surprised to see their master perched on the fireplace mantle.

He had thrown aside the huge painting that was hanging there, and now he was trying to hammer a nail into the wall – with rather lousy results, judging from the bunch of twisted and broken nails on the ground…but watching him actually _doing_ (or trying to do) something was still a relief for them.

Monkey Fist turned to his monkey ninjas as they squealed to get his attention, still holding the hammer. "Yes, that one," he said after giving a long glance to the family portrait they had brought there "I'm almost done here – that old nail was too rusty, it broke as soon as I took off that painting…" he muttered, turning his attention back to the nail he was trying to hammer in the wall.

The monkey ninjas exchanged some worried glances – they all remembered all too well what had happened the last time their master had tried to hang a painting by himself. One of them hesitantly asked if he needed help, but Monkey Fist just shrugged the offer. "I don't need any help," he said "I have everything…where are you going?" he asked as Chippy turned to leave the room.

He didn't seem pleased at all by the answer he got. "No, I'm _not_ going to need the first aid kit, thank you so much," he snorted, annoyed "if you want to be useful, why don't you just– _ow_!" Monkey Fist yelped as, predictably enough, he hammered his already injuried hand. The monkeys had to refrain from chuckling, and their amusement didn't escape Monkey Fist.

"Oh, blast it – get that damned first aid kit already," he snapped at Chippy, who scurried out of the room with a suppressed snicker. It wasn't like he or the others were _glad_ for their master's little accident: truth to be told, most of their good mood came from relief. Though certainly not in a bright mood, at least their master seemed to have snapped out of the apathy and despair he had been into since when they had come back – maybe it was the first step in the right direction.


	47. Second chances

_Author's notes__: that's one of those chapters I have to write while my mind is set on the next one already. I hate it when it happens XD Again, I'm still not sure of when I'll be able to write and upload the next chapter – I'm just burning to write it, but University won't give me much spare time for another while :P_

_Anyway, enjoy!_

* * *

At least his fingers were not broken, Monkey Fist thought with a grimace as Chippy finished bandaging his hand. He snorted, annoyed from the 'I-told-you-so' look on the monkey ninjas' faces, and he turned to see the portrait that was now hanging upon the fireplace mantle.

He smiled a little, nodding slightly to himself. He felt another pang of guilt as he remembered how upset Yuki had been when she had found out he had locked it away – he wondered what she would think now. He blinked as he realized his monkey ninjas were staring at him: lost in his thoughts, he had forgotten their presence. "What are you looking at? Make yourself useful and get dinner ready!"

The monkey ninjas didn't mind anymore when he snapped at them – he always did that anyway, so it didn't necessarily mean he was angry with them. Besides, right now they wouldn't have minded if he had yelled – they felt too relieved by his order. It was the first time he had ordered them to make dinner since when they got back home: until then, they had just kept bringing him food without him asking. He had to be hungry, but he never ate much: it was like he was forcing the food down his throat without even minding the taste, with the only purpose to avoid starvation.

But now he had finally ordered them to get him something to eat, and he seemed to be behaving more like himself. Maybe things were truly changing for the better.

Monkey Fist shifted nervously as he heard them leaving. He glanced up to the portrait, but he turned his gaze away after a few minutes – he felt terribly uneasy looking at it while he was just sitting there, doing nothing while watching what was left of his life passing by.

_Looks like it's serving its purpose then._

Monkey Fist let out a snort and got up, starting to walk back and forth in the room like a caged animal. Truth to be told, he was getting quite restless: he had to do something – _anything_ – or he would get insane in there.

_You know, walking back and forth is not quite my idea of 'doing something'. You should do more than that._

_Like what? Suggestions are very much appreciated, you know._

_Well…_

_Well?_

_I have no idea._

_Just as I expected._

Monkey Fist sighed as he leaned his forehead against the window, glancing outside. He wondered what could Yuki be doing in that same moment, but he felt a sharp twinge of pain at the thought and immediately turned his thoughts to that morning's training session. He had to work more on precision, he decided, and possibly in speed. Now that his ribs and collarbone had completely healed he could start training in the afternoon as well, and maybe–

He winced as a sudden noise snapped him from his thoughts. He couldn't even remember the last time someone had called, and it was so unexpected that it took him a few moments to realize that it was the phone. He blinked, surprised – who would ever call him?

_Well, there is only a way to find out._

True enough, he thought as he grabbed the phone. He had however no time to speak as something very similar to a roar came from the other side of the line.

"FISKE!"

Monkey Fist grimaced, holding the phone a little more distant from his ear. "What…?" he said, bewildered. He _had _heard that voice already, but he couldn't quite recall when and where…

"You just made the worst mistake of your life, Fiske…!"

_I already have, thank you._

"You're going to pay for this – you should have minded your own business!" the man on the other side of the line ranted on, and a grin slowly spread on the monkey man's face as he realized who it was.

"Howard Bennett, I presume," he said smugly as the other man paused to breathe, a sense of satisfaction and relief spreading in his chest "how delightful – it's been years since last time I had the _pleasure_ to hear from you. Judging by your friendly fashion, I assume that the golden statue of Hanuman has been returned to the museum…"

"It doesn't end here – you'll regret the moment you sent those…those _children_ after me!"

Monkey Fist chuckled, amused – it looked like Team Possible had told him he had been the one to tell them about him. All the better – at least he could have some fun now, couldn't he? "Bennett, you didn't impress me when I was a student, let alone _now_. As far as I know, there is only one retired billionaire that can occasionally make a decent villain – and that's not you. I've met plushie collectors who are far more dangerous than you could ever be, so quit making a fool out of yourself by trying to seem even remotely threatening, will you?"

It took Bennett a few moments to find his voice gain, and when he did he began stuttering in a most satisfactory way. "I…I…you…!"

"I would love to listen to your deep and meaningful replies, my friend, but I have dinner waiting," Monkey Fits cut him off with a grin "should you ever manage to put together a more articulate answer, I'll be most glad to hear it. You know my number – feel free to call any time to share your wisdom."

He hung the phone with a laugh without waiting for an answer – he had almost forgotten how satisfying it could be, he mused as he walked back to the window. He didn't know if it was because of the relief upon hearing the statue of Hanuman was back at its place or the satisfaction of telling Bennett off, but he felt better than he had in months.

_You're out of practice though – a few months back you could come up with a better reply while sleeping._

True enough, he thought as he glanced outside. He was regretting not suggesting Bennett to try collecting stamps rather than relics from now on as the phone rang again.

_Well, looks like you're getting the possibility now._

Monkey Fist grinned as he reached to grab the phone again. "I assume you finally managed to put a sentence together," he said, sitting comfortably on his armchair "fascinating…I'm listening."

There was a brief silence on the other side of the line. "Uh…Monty Fiske, I presume…?" a collected – though slightly confused – voice finally asked, causing Monkey Fist to blink.

"Uhu?" was all the monkey man managed to say for a moment – that definitely wasn't Bennett "I mean…yes, it's me," he quickly corrected himself, surprised "my apologies, I thought it was…someone else. Who am I talking with?"

"Oh, I understand," the other man said with a slightly uncertain laugh – it was clear he felt a little awkward "I'm sorry to bother you, Lord Fiske," he added, causing Monkey Fist to raise an eyebrow – when had it been the last time someone had referred to him as 'Lord Fiske'? "My name is Hugh Crandall, and I'm calling to thank you in the name of the museum."

Well, that was the last thing he expected to hear. "Excuse me?"

"I'm most glad to inform you that the golden statue of Hanuman has been returned to its rightful place," Crandall said, not knowing that Monkey Fist had already heard the news from…other sources "Kim Possible and her friend…er…Don Droppable?"

"Ron Stoppable," Monkey Fist grumbled absentmindedly, frowning slightly.

"Oh, right. Well, they told me about the help you gave them to retrieve the relic – we all are…very grateful for that. The statue of Hanuman is a priceless item."

The monkey man smiled a little, faintly wondering why would Team Possible tell everyone he had cooperated with them to retrieve the relic instead of taking all the merit. "Yes," he said, an odd fondness in his voice "priceless."

"If I'm not mistaking, you are the archaeologist that found it," Crandall went on, sounding a little more at ease now that they were talking about archaeology "that's why I felt obliged to personally inform you it's back to the museum. It was the first discovery of your career, if I remember correctly – I read about that with great interest. It must mean a lot to you."

"It was the fourth one actually – but the first important one, yes," Monkey Fist thought back to the framed article he had brought to his parents' grave just a couple of hours earlier "and yes, it means more than I can possibly say," he swallowed "I must thank you for calling, Mr. Crandall. I'm not someone a man in your position would like to be caught talking with," he said, bluntly enough to make the other man embarrassedly clear his throat.

"Oh, well…as I said, I felt obliged to do so – especially since your cooperation was essential to retrieve the relic, according to what Miss Possible and…her friend said," Crandall replied. He had to admit he had been quite surprised when he had been told that Montgomery Fiske of all people had cooperated with Team Possible to retrieve the stolen statue – especially since he had been the first suspect since the beginning. He had been a little hesitant about contacting him at first, his own curiosity being one of the reasons why he had eventually decided to call him: Fiske was still considered one of the main authorities in his field, and he had followed his career with interest for many years.

Monkey Fist raised en eyebrow. "Is that what they said?" he asked, mildly surprised. He wouldn't have expected Possible to ever admit with anyone she had _needed_ his help for a mission "I merely told them about my suspects."

"Which happened to be right – and we'll never thank you enough for that. Howard Bennett was about to send the item outside the country: in a few hours, retrieving it would have been nearly impossible."

Monkey Fist grinned at his words. It looked like Hugh Crandall was not familiar with Team Possible – he could easily picture what Kim Possible would have replied upon hearing them. "No big."

"Excuse me?"

"Er…nothing important," Monkey Fist turned to see his monkey ninjas getting inside the room with dinner, and his stomach grumbled "I'm afraid I have to go now, Mr. Crandall. I'm most glad to know that the statue is back to –" he abruptly trailed off as a sudden thought occurred to him, and he suddenly felt like smacking himself.

_The parts of the Obsidian Monkey, you idiot – there us no museum that wouldn't be interested in them. This is an occasion you can't waste!_

"Is everything alright, Lord Fiske?" Hugh Crandall's polite – and once again slightly uncertain – voice came from the other side of the line as he trailed off.

"Yes, it's alright – I just realized I was forgetting something," Monkey Fist replied, swallowing a little nervously "over the past few months, I've collected some interesting items around the globe – several parts of an obsidian statue, to be accurate. From the information I could gather, I assume it is from 600 AD if not more ancient, and that it is from eastern orient. I think the museum could be interested in it."

The other man seemed immediately interested, though clearly cautious – he hadn't forgotten who he was speaking with. "Yes, it does seem interesting. Did you say you found different parts scattered around the globe?"

"Yes. A part was in the Libyan desert, another one on Isla del Sol, the third one in Himalaya and the last one in Madagascar," he paused and hesitated "the head was destroyed," he finally added, ignoring the sharp pain in his chest as he spoke.

"My, it must have taken quite some time to retrieve all those parts," Crandall laughed, suddenly sounding like a child who had been just told Christmas was coming earlier "I must say I'm surprised you didn't contact the museum before about them."

Monkey Fist grimaced. "I honestly doubt my phone calls would receive a reply, Mr. Crandall, just as I doubt I could get anywhere near a museum without being arrested. If I'm not mistaking, only yesterday I was the main suspect for the theft of the statue of Hanuman."

The other man coughed, clearly embarrassed. "Well…I admit that, considering the circumstances…" he cleared his throat "however, in the light of the recent events, it's clear we jumped to wrong conclusions too early. I beg you to accept our most sincere apologies."

Monkey Fist sighed. "I guess it was just natural that you suspected me," he said a little bitterly "now, about those obsidian relics…"

"Oh, right!" Crandall exclaimed, relieved by the change of subject "I would of course be extremely interested in examinating them…" he paused for a moment, and Monkey Fist could easily tell he was debating with himself if he should agree to meet him or not.

"I could just send you the items if you wish me to," Monkey Fist said dryly, a part of him already regretting his attempt – he was still an insane criminal to the world, he thought. Not the kind of person you would let inside a museum, and definitely not someone you would like to be caught with in public. Maybe he should just be glad of the opportunity to get rid of those blasted things – he couldn't stand having them in his castle anymore.

"No, no – I would need your assistance to examinate the items properly: you have all the information, after all. I…I have a private study," Crandall finally said, feeling a little awkward again – it was clear Fiske had understood the reason of his hesitation "it's not very far from the museum, in Southampton Row. We could meet there tomorrow afternoon, if you're not busy."

_Busy? Don't make me laugh._

"Tomorrow is perfectly fine with me," Monkey Fist said a little bitterly. He sighed as he hung the phone after listening Crandall's babbling about how anxious he was to see the relics as he reassured him he would bring them to his study the next afternoon. It was obvious that Hugh Crandall had suggested him to meet his study to avoid being seen with him in public and prevent him from getting inside the museum – but what else could he expect? It was still a step forward, after all. He probably should just be glad that his recent – and unplanned – cooperation with Team Possible and Crandall's academic curiosity about the relics had been enough to make him want to meet: not everyone would have been willing to do so.

It had been a fortunate coincidence, he had to admit. He leaned back in the armchair his head spinning a little – things had happened so quickly that it was hard to believe the conversation had just happened.

_Isn't it funny that the very same items you lost everything to get might be the key to get back to something vaguely similar to your old life?_

Monkey Fist snorted. "Hilarious," he said dryly to no one in particular, as he turned to his monkey ninjas – he had nearly forgotten their presence. They were still standing near his armchair, not really knowing what to do, one of them still holding the tray with his lunch.

"What are you waiting for?" he snapped, causing his minions to wince and quickly handle him the tray. The monkey ninjas bowed quickly before turning to leave, but their master called them back. "Wait – I need you to do something," he said as he gave a bite "get the bags with the Obsidian Monkey's pieces downstairs. I'll get rid of them soon – I'll stay away most of the afternoon tomorrow, by the way, and I want you to keep training without me. Get lost."

Despite their master's order, they stood there for a few more minutes, watching in awe their master as he ate with appetite for the first time in weeks. Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow as he noticed the way they were looking at him. "What now?" he asked, his mouth full – he was so hungry that he didn't even bother about manners "you know what you have to do – now get out."

He followed them with his gaze as they scurried outside, wondering why in the world were they staring at him like that – then he just shrugged as he turned his attention back to his dinner, thinking about the unexpected possibility he now had to get back to something similar to his old life.

It was just a slim chance really, and wasn't sure at all if it could be enough – but it was still a start. He wasn't going to waste that opportunity as he had previously wasted his chance with Yuki. Monkey Fist felt a twinge of pain in his chest at the thought, and he immediately tried to think of something else – yet, somewhere in his mind, he couldn't help but wonder what was she doing now.

* * *

_Well, here you are again. Looks like you can't take a simple decision without having to thinking about it a thousand times…_

_Simple?_

_Alright, maybe not that simple. Any ideas?_

She bit her lip._ I miss him._

_Yes, thank you, we already established that. You wouldn't be in this mess if you didn't._

_This isn't helping._

Yuki sighed as she tried to ignore the noise that came from outside, indicating that the others were training already. She massaged her temples, staring blankly at the ceiling – she knew staying the whole day doing nothing would be hard, but this was truly unbearable: she would give anything to have something else to do rather than just staying in her room, thinking over and over about what could she do.

When she had confronted Monty the last time, telling him to leave, she had hoped that everything was over and that she would soon be able to get back to her usual life: that hope had been the only thing that had given her the strength to go on over the past two weeks…but now it was clear her life in Yamanouchi would never be the same again. Too many things had changed, herself included: maybe Sensei was right, she wouldn't be happy if she stayed there.

Then again, she had a responsibility over her unborn child. She couldn't worry just about her own happiness: she had to think about his future as well – and, until Sensei's speech the previous day, she had been sure keeping him in Yamanouchi would be the best solution…but now she wasn't so sure anymore.

Sensei was once again right: he would grow up watching her suffer and hearing the worst of his father from the other ninjas…not precisely what she wished for him. On the other hand…could she actually trust Monty again? Last time she had, he had hurt her terribly – should a such thing happen again, she wouldn't be the only one to pay for that mistake…and she would never forgive herself should her child ever suffer the same way she had. What if he tried to _hurt_ him in a fit of rage? He had tried to kill her after all…

**Should you give him another chance, he wouldn't make the same mistakes again.**

Yuki groaned, her headache growing worse as she thought back of Sensei's words. In the end, the decision she had to make was always the same – could she trust him or not? Sensei seemed to think she could, and she usually trusted his judgement blindly…but this time she was too afraid to make a mistake. She swallowed as she remembered how regretful his last glance to her had been – it had broken her heart watching him like that. He really seemed to regret everything he had done…but after all, it was easy being sorry after the damage had been done, wasn't it. Yet, if Sensei had said –

_Oh, please – Sensei may be wise, but he's still a human: he can be wrong, you know._

_I don't recall one single time he was wrong._

_Well, sending you to keep an eye on Monty was a mistake to begin with. He should have sent someone else._

_Nobody could have known what would happen._

_But it was still a mistake. Do you still trust his judgement?_

_Shut up._

_You cannot take this decision only because of what Sensei thinks – what do YOU think?_

_I don't know._

_Well, you might not have much time left to decide, you know – Monty won't be waiting forever. What makes you think he would ever wait for you to change your mind anyway?_

_What?_

_Last time you met you told him to go away, didn't you? And before that meeting, you made him believe you were dead – not exactly a fair treatment. You lost your chance to get back to him two weeks ago: do you really think you have any right to show up in his life again? Why should he want you or the child back now that he's moving on?_

The thought caused her to freeze – she hadn't thought about the possibility Monty wouldn't want to have anything to do with her. Great, now she had one more reason to be scared: the mere idea of having him treating her coldly and telling her to go back to Yamanouchi was unbearable.

She snapped from her troubled thoughts as she heard a knock on her door. "Yuki?" she heard Sensei's voice from outside "may I get in?"

Yuki sighed as she sat upright on the mattress. "Yes, of course."

"You didn't come out to eat," the old man said quietly as he closed the door behind him and sat on the ground "you should eat something – of not for yourself, for the child."

She shrugged. "I'm not hungry," she said, avoiding to look at him and feeling a bit guilty. He was right, needed her to eat – what kind on mother could she ever make if she forgot something like that?

He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "You haven't slept much, have you?"

"No. I couldn't."

"I understand," the old man nodded slightly "have you thought about what I told you?" he asked, and Yuki nodded. "But you still haven't decided what to do, right?"

"No," Yuki swallowed "I'm scared," she finally admitted.

"Of course you are – you're afraid of being hurt again, and you feel responsible for your child's future as well. It's not an easy situation."

There was a brief silence. "Do you really think I could trust him…?" she finally asked.

"Yes, I do."

Yuki bit her lower lip. "How can you be so sure?" she finally asked. It wasn't like she doubted his judgement, of course, but…

Sensei's lips curled in a slight smile – it looked like it was time. "You know, shortly before I let him meet you I put him through a test."

She blinked. "A test?"

"Yes. I offered him the Lotus Blade," the old man said quietly, smiling at her stunned expression.

Yuki's jaw dropped. "You…what?" she asked, bewildered.

"I offered him the Lotus Blade," Sensei paused for a few moments, amused buy her confusion "he refused," he finally added with some satisfaction.

She stared at him for a few moments, speechless. "He…refused…?" she repeated, unable to think straight "but…he tried everything to get that sword just a couple of years ago! He was ready to kill to get it…!"

"Yes, he was – but not anymore. Oh, it was not easy for him: he was really tempted to just take it, and he was just about to do so…but he didn't."

"I…" Yuki swallowed, her head spinning – that was the last thing she had expected to hear "he really…refused the Lotus Blade?" she repeated weakly, as if unable to process the information.

"Yes. He still thought you were dead, and he felt like he had nothing left to live for. You can imagine how tempting it could be to him, just grabbing the sword...and he still refused. Now you understand why I'm so sure he's not going to make the same mistakes, don't you? He won't forget what really matters again."

Yuki nodded. "I understand," she said, her voice trembling slightly "why didn't you…tell me about this before?" she asked, a bit more sharply than she meant to.

"Let's just say you were not ready to know it back then – but you are now. Tell me, don't you think he deserves a second possibility now?"

There was a long silence as Yuki kept her blank gaze fixed to the wall. Sensei's revelation had completely caught her by surprise – now she felt even guiltier: the way she had treated him seemed even more unfair now.

"Should I…" she hesitated "should I go back to him…do you think he would still want me?"

Sensei raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't he?"

"Last time we met I told him to leave and never come back. I told him he had lost me – and he was so hurt when he left…" Yuki paused "I should have known he had truly changed. I should have given him another possibility back then – I probably have no right to suddenly show up in his life again now, not after I treated him like that..." her voice faded.

"Yuki," the old man said slowly "you have nothing to blame yourself for. It is perfectly comprehensible you were too scared to immediately trust him again, and I'm more than sure he holds you no grudge: he doesn't think he even _deserves_ your trust again. It may take a while for you to get your relationship back on track – but believe me, he would never miss another possibility to have you with him. Both of you."

She nodded, relieved. "I guess you're right, she said, fervently hoping he really _was_ right "you must think I'm an idiot for being so afraid."

"It is normal to be afraid – but don't let your fear blind your judgement. Don't give up on this chance, Yuki."

She hesitated. "Well, I…_ow! _" Yuki gasped as she felt something she had never felt before, much different from the usual fluttering sensation in her belly – like a little thud in her stomach. It took her a few moments to realize that the baby had kicked for the first time. She instinctively put her hands on her stomach, and she felt the child kick again. It wasn't like it was unexpected – she knew the child would start kicking sooner or later…but it had been so sudden that she had been caught by surprise.

_You shouldn't be that surprised – it's past four months, you know. Just five more months to go before the baby is born._

Yuki swallowed a little nervously at the thought – there was so little time left…! She felt a pang of guilt at the thought Monty wasn't there to feel his own son as he began to move in her womb.

"Looks like there's someone who's growing impatient," Sensei said with a chuckle as he saw her stare at her swollen belly in awe.

Yuki smiled a little. "One would think you can't wait to get me out of here," she said softly, her gaze a little unfocused as she kept staring at her stomach "this has always been my home," she added, sounding a bit melancholic.

Sensei nodded slightly. "And it always will if you wish: no matter what it happens, there will always be a place for you and your child here, but you don't have to stay. You have spent all your life in Yamanouchi, and you've been happy here – but you no longer belong here, and you know it."

"Yes, I know," she said slowly as she turned to look around at her room "I will miss this place," she finally said, causing Sensei to smile warmly.

"You made the right decision, Yuki."

"I hope so," she sighed "I guess I should say goodbye to everyone…" she said, feeling a little sad at the thought she wouldn't see those familiar faces every day.

"Yes, you should – they will want to have a chance to tell you goodbye as well," the old man said as he got up "when do you want to go?" he asked. Yuki hesitated.

_You should go as soon as possible, if you really want to – you might change your mind again if you don't._

She suddenly felt terrified at the thought. "Soon. Tomorrow," she said almost without thinking, resting her hands on her belly again – the child seemed to have calmed down.

Sensei nodded. "Do you want me to get you a lift to England? We have enough contacts to do so. I don't know much of technology, but it shouldn't take too much to a jet to bring you to destination."

Yuki seemed amused at the idea. "I'd be the first one to get a lift from the school," she smirked.

"Considering your condition, I guess we can make an exception," he chuckled as he opened the door "we'll tell the others about your departure at lunch: it would be easier for you to say goodbye to each of them when everyone is in the same place than chasing them all around the school while they're training."

She sighed. "I guess so," she said. The sadness in her voice didn't escape him, but he just nodded and left the room: she had just made the most important decision of her life after all, and she needed some time to collect her thoughts. Her melancholy was comprehensible – Yamanouchi was the only home she ever had, and leaving wouldn't be easy for her…nor it would be easy for him watching her leave.

It wasn't of course the first time someone left the school: most students left after graduation after all, only a few of them staying to teach. But this time it was different – he had seen her growing up since when she was a baby after all, and truth to be told the idea she was about to move so far saddened him somewhat…but it was necessary. She had to let go of her past to take care of her future, and her future was not there.

As he walked outside to join the training session – someone had to replace Yuki until someone else was ready to do so, after all – he couldn't help but smirk a little as he tried to picture the expression on Monkey Fist's face the moment he would see Yuki again.


	48. Back in the monkey's den

_Author's notes__: pew, after almost eleven months I'm finally starting to see the end of this XD If everything goes as planned (it rarely does, but this time should make an exception :P), there are just a few chapters left. It saddens me in a way since it's almost a year I've been writing this (sappy as I can be, I might even end up uploading the final chapter the 1__st__ of November just for the heck of it XD) and I'll be missing this story, but on the other hand I can't wait to get everything I have in mind written down. You can't have the cake and eat it too, after all :P  
__As for the "cliffanger" at the end of the chapter, it was almost a pain to stop there. I'm SO going to have fun writing the confrontation in the next chapter (not to mention that certain someone is just going to kill me if I dare to skip THAT part. You know who you are XD)_

_And...what am I forgetting? Oh, right - happy birthday to Claudia! (AKA Lupa1985/Budgie85/blackwolf...I hope I'm not forgetting any nickname here XD). She's one of the best artists I've ever met: if you want to see some awesome Monkey Fist fanart, you'll find hers either on her DA account or on the Ultimate Monkey Archive - the link is in my profile)._

_...okay, now I'm really done with this. Enjoy!_

* * *

Well, Yuki mused as she walked towards the bridge where she was supposed to meet Sensei, saying goodbye to everyone hadn't been as hard as she had expected after all – it had been _worse_. Despite her resolution to come back to visit them every now and then, leaving was even more painful than she had anticipated. She had spent the whole night sleepless once again, and she was grateful to Sensei to let her depart before dawn – she didn't feel like meeting anyone. She felt like she could start crying like some little girl if she did.

_I've known some of them for my whole life._

_Things can't always stay the same – you were unhappy here. Something has to change._

_What if it's not the right choice? What if –_

_Oh, please, don't start again! Just give it a try: if it doesn't work, you can still get back here. Why are you making things so complicated?_

_Good question._

Yuki sighed as she turned to look back at the school for a moment. Of course, most students had no idea of where she was going, for didn't know what had exactly happened between her and Monkey Fist. She honestly had no idea of how Sensei had managed to prevent them from finding out one way or another: they had to be blind and deaf to not notice…but it was probably better this way. How do you tell a bunch of students that one of their teachers is leaving to live with the father of her child, which happens to be one of the school's worst enemies?

She grinned a little as she tried to picture their expressions upon hearing such news. For some reason, she doubted they would take it much better than Yori had when she had told her what had happened between her and Monkey Fist. Speaking of Yori, she had been most silent when she had told everyone she was about to leave, which had somewhat surprised her. Yori was one of the few that knew the whole story, and she had half expected her to try to speak with her personally, either to ask her is she had gone insane or just to wish her good luck as Hirotaka had. The fact she hadn't somewhat saddened her: she would have liked to have a chance to thank her properly for her support during the past few months and –

"Yuki-sempai?"

Yuki couldn't help but smile a little as she heard a familiar voice calling out for her. Speak of the devil, she thought. "Yori," she greeted her as the girl approached "you should be getting ready for training right now."

"Sensei told me you would leave before the morning training started – I just wanted to say goodbye," she said, bowing slightly at her "may your journey be a safe one. I hope you and your child will be happy."

Yuki nodded. "So do I," she said, ignoring the lump in her throat "I'm sure you'll have graduated by the time I get back to visit. Are you still thinking to stay here as a teacher as Hirotaka does?"

"Yes."

"Good – it mean you will still be here when I pay a visit," she said with a small smile "I must thank you for your support and patience over these past months, Yori. And…thanks for helping Monty through his recover as well. I doubt he thanked you himself," she added with a chuckle.

Yori seemed amused at the thought as well. "I would have thought he wasn't himself if he had," she said with a brief laugh "however, I never expected him or anyone to do so: he was wounded, and assisting him was the only honourable thing to do. It was my duty, no matter what I think of him."

"You opinion on him hasn't changed one bit, has it?"

"Not much – but I got a chance to see he's not as soulless as I thought he was. I'm never going to appreciate him, but maybe I can see why you do."

Yuki had to admit she was impressed by her words. "You are far wiser than your age," she said, feeling somewhat jealous.

_If you were as wise as her, you probably would have never gotten yourself in this mess, or at least you would have made the right choice months ago. Too bad you're just dumb. _

_Oh, shut up. I don't even know if it is the right–_

_Dear God, not again! Just stop blabbering and just give it a try, will you?_

Yori seemed a little embarrassed by her compliment. "Thank you," she said, feeling a little uneasy. She turned to the school as she heard the faint sound of a gong "the morning training," she said "I…should get back."

Yuki felt a terrible melancholy at the thought that the training was starting without her. "Yes, you should get back," she said "tell the others I'll miss them."

"I will," Yori bowed once again, and Yuki returned the bow "we'll miss you as well, Yuki-sempai. We'll be waiting for your visit."

Yuki just nodded as she watched her walking back to the school, then she sighed and turned away. She had to hurry up – it wasn't like the jet would leave without her, but she didn't want to make Sensei wait too much. She swallowed a little nervous at the thought, not completely sure that she could manage to tell him goodbye as well without start weeping like an idiot. What was the matter with her? She was an adult after all, and she should be able to handle herself.

_Yeah, right._

She took a deep breath as she saw Sansei standing on the other side of the bridge, near the waterfall. "You're late," he said calmly as she approached a little awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, I met Yori along the way and –"

The old man chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "I should have known she would want to speak with you alone," he said before turning to the waterfall that hid the entrance "the jet is waiting for you on the other side – they'll leave you near his castle."

Yuki swallowed, suddenly terrified at the thought she would face him just hours later – what was she going to _tell_ him? She couldn't just show up at his door and behave as if she just got out a minute to buy milk.

_Don't panic – you'll think about it later. You still have time, though it's not much._

_It's the 'not much' part that worries me._

"Yuki."

Yuki snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Sensei' collected voice calling her – she had nearly forgotten his presence, and the thought she had to say him goodbye terrified her: she had the dreadful sensation it would feel like saying goodbye to the only relative she ever knew. "You know, I'm afraid I could start crying if I don't get out of here as soon as –" she trailed off and blinked as she saw the old man was handling her something – a white, neatly folded baby blanket "…uhu?"

"It is the blanket you were cradled into when you were brought here," Sensei said, causing her jaw to drop – that was about the last thing she had expected to hear.

"What…?" she glanced at the cloth in Sensei's hands as if she thought it could grow fangs and bite her.

"I think you should keep it. You are going to need it in a while," he chuckled at her stunned expression "you can take it, you know. It is yours after all – it's your only belonging that doesn't come from this school."

She swallowed and reached to take the blanket. "Why did you keep it?" she finally asked, her mouth feeling suddenly dry.

"It belongs to you – I would never throw away someone else's belongings," was all Sensei said with a serene expression. Yuki nodded absentmindedly, her eyes still on the blanket. It was soft to the touch, and Yuki was mildly surprised by how small it was – had she really ever been cradled in there?

As long as she could remember, whatever had happened the day she had been brought to the school as a baby had barely been mentioned a few times, nor had she ever felt much need to ask: there wasn't much to ask anyway. All they could tell her was that a man – presumably her father or some other relative, but no one knew for sure – had showed up during a snowstorm at the dawn of the New Year with her asleep in his arms, asking to speak with the Sensei. No one knew his name since nobody had ever seen him before, and no one knew how could he know about the school: he wouldn't answer to anyone's questions. All he had said was that he and his wife couldn't keep the child, for they couldn't afford giving her the kind of life they wished for her. He had asked Sensei to allow the baby to live in the school: he knew the Sensei could do so if he wanted to, and he was there to ask him to give the infant that chance. He had left as soon as Sensei accepted, leaving the child in his care, and no one had ever seen him again.

"Yuki?"

Sensei's voice brought her back to reality once again. She blinked as she felt an odd dampness on her cheeks – it took her a few moments to realize she had been crying. She angrily wiped her tears away with her sleeve, cursing herself for getting so sentimental. What was the matter with her? The whole thing had stopped bothering her years before – why should that blanket mean anything? It was obvious she would be cradled into a cloth or something, so what was the big deal? It was just a blanket, nothing more. "I'm fine," she finally said "I just…oh, forget it," she grumbled, quickly stuffing the cloth under her garb.

"You don't have to hold them any grudge, Yuki. They did what they thought was the best for you."

She bit her lower lip. "I know, but…"

"But…?"

"They could at least get through the effort of giving me a _name_, instead of leaving it to you," she said, feeling little childish for complaining about that – yet she couldn't help it "I was already a few weeks old, and I didn't even have a name…" the thought that _her_ child, though still unborn, already had a name for himself made it feel even more unfair.

Sensei nodded. "I must admit that when that man told me you had no name, I was surprised. It took me quite some time to figure out why your parents decided to not give you any name."

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "And the reason is…?"

"The were afraid to grow too attached to you if they did – didn't you feel a stronger connection to your own child when we gave him a name?" he asked, and the way Yuki bit her lower lip was enough to tell him he was right "they were afraid that, should they grow too attached to you, they wouldn't be able to let you go anymore: they were sure that letting you go was the only way to give you a chance to live a better life than the one they could offer. Yet it must not have been easy for them to do so – I'm sure it was a great sacrifice for them, but they did what they thought was the best for you. It's not easy for me watching you leave now either, you know," he added with a chuckle "but I know it's better this way, both for you and Michio. And you must do what you think is best for your child."

As to emphasize his words, the baby moved in her womb. She swallowed, her head spinning a little as she put a hand on her belly – she did that a lot, she mused – and she finally nodded. "I understand," she said, her voice only a little strained "I'll…come back to visit sometimes, and I'll bring Michio with me. I promise."

The old man smiled. "I'll be waiting for your visit then – but now go. The more you hesitate, the more leaving gets difficult."

There was a brief silence before Yuki nodded slowly. "Thank you," she said softly as she bowed at Sensei "for everything." He just bowed back, a small smile on his lips as she turned and walked through the waterfall, disappearing from his sight.

* * *

Monkey Fist couldn't recall another time he had felt more uneasy as he dragged the last bag from the car and in front of the door of Hugh Crandall's office. Alright, maybe the time Yuki had opened the door of her room to see him standing there with a banana in his hand had been worse – and the moment she faced him for the last time had been _infinitely_ worse, but whatever.

The clothes he had once again forced himself to wear only added to his discomfort, but he couldn't show up wearing his usual ninja garb after all: Crandall was probably wary enough about meeting him, so it probably wouldn't be a wise move. For a moment he had debated with himself if he should wear gloves as well, but he had decided against it – there would really be no point in it: everyone knew about the mutation he had put himself through, so trying to hide it would serve no purpose. It would rather feel like trying to masquerade as the man he used to be, and he didn't like the idea at all.

Monkey Fist took a deep breath and reached for the doorbell, his hand stopping just a few inches from it, and for a brief moment he considered the idea of ringing the doorbell and just go away leaving the parts of the Obsidian Monkey there.

_This is the most stupid thing I've ever heard. If you miss this opportunity, you may never have another chance._

He hesitated just for another moment, then he just snorted and rang the doorbell, unable to believe he had almost given up – what did he have to lose anyway? Things couldn't go worse for him after all. He had no reason to be nervous, no reason at all. Yet he couldn't help but wince as he heard steps coming from behind the door. There was a brief moment of silence – Crandall was probably observing him from the peephole to make sure he wasn't armed or something, he mused – then the door finally opened to reveal a middle-aged man nervously looking at him.

"Lord Fiske," he greeted him, his eyes flashing around as if to make sure there was no one else was there to see them "I'm… most glad to meet you," he said, and he moved as if he was about to hold out his hand, but he stopped abruptly as his gaze fell on the monkey man's genetically modified hands – he suddenly didn't seem so impatient to shake his hand.

Monkey Fist decided to ignore it – he had expected him to be wary: who wouldn't? By looking at the short, balding man, it was hard to believe he had even accepted to meet him in the firs place. He faintly wondered if he had told anyone to call the police in case he didn't get back home that day or something equally melodramatic, and the idea mildly amused him for some reason.

"Mr. Crandall, I presume," he said quietly, and his collected voice seemed to reassure the other man somewhat "I brought the relics I told you about with me," he added, and Crandall immediately glanced at the bags on the ground.

"Oh, I see – I'm most glad you granted me the opportunity of examinating them. From what you told me, they seem objects of great interest. I guess we should get inside…" he said, and Monkey Fist could easily tell he was both anxious to see the relics himself and to make him get in before anyone could see him in his doorway. He raised an eyebrow as the poor man tried to lift one of the bags and miserably failed, dropping the bag back on the ground almost immediately.

"You may need help to get them inside. I'm afraid they're quite heavy," he said, suppressing a smirk as he grabbed a bag – the one with the arms inside, if he remembered correctly – and lifted it.

"Er…" Crandall looked down at the bag he had tried to lift, and when he glanced at him again he was chuckling, however a little nervously "yes, some help would be much appreciated indeed. I'm afraid I'm growing too old for this," he stepped back to allow him inside his study, holding the door open as he got back outside to fetch the other two bags "they seem bigger than I had anticipated," he finally said as he closed to door behind him.

"They are slightly smaller than a grown man's limbs," Monkey Fist replied as he carefully put the last bag on a table "it rather surprised me as well when I found the first item. Once the pieces are put together, the statue should have more or less the size of a man sitting."

"That's quite impressive, considering how ancient they are: obsidian isn't the easiest material to use for statues without the appropriate instruments," Crandall commented as he approached the table and opened one of the bags – once again, he seemed much more at ease when talking about something familiar, no matter who was he speaking with. He grabbed one of the arms and managed to lift it just enough to take a look at it. "At it's surprisingly well done too," he added, running his fingers on the smooth surface "what is the statue of, by the way?"

Monkey Fist grinned a little sheepishly. "A monkey."

Predictably enough, Crandall didn't seem surprised at all. "Oh. I see," he cleared his throat as he glanced at the arm he was holding "I trust you retrieved the items…legally, didn't you?" he asked awkwardly, causing Monkey Fist to grimace. Then again, what else was he expecting?

"Yes, I had an excavation permission for each of them. You can easily check if you wish to."

Hugh Crandall shifted uncomfortably. "I…don't think it would be necessary."

The monkey man sighed. "Mr. Crandall, we both know perfectly you're going to check if I really had the excavation permissions the very same instant I get out of here," he said quietly "anyway, I can guarantee you everything I did to get these items was completely legal."

Crandall was about to deny, but he quickly changed his mind. It was clear Fiske was perfectly aware that he didn't trust him, and denying the obvious would be an insult to his intelligence – he wasn't precisely dying to irritate him. Besides, the fact his obvious mistrust didn't seem to anger him was a relief. "I understand," he just said, turning his attention back to the item "what language is that?" he asked, pointing at the writing on the hand.

"It's ancient Japanese – it indicates the place where the other arm was hidden. That's how I found each item – the statue was cut into pieces and hidden because of…a legend surrounding it. "

"Interesting," Crandall studied the inscription for a few more moments "do these inscriptions say exactly where the next item could be found?"

"Not exactly – they just give a general indication. That inscription says the left arm was hidden somewhere in Isla del Sol. I had to find the cave where it was hidden myself with the aid of –"

"A cave in Isla del Sol?" Crandall trailed him off, tapping his chin in thought "I was sure every single cave in that place had been found already. Incas thought of the caves in there as sanctuaries since they thought the first men and women had stepped from them, and they had a great importance for them…"

"I know it, of course – but that cave was mostly underwater, so it's possible not even Incas knew about it. It was a safe place to hide something: that's why the left arm was hidden there. How did the followers of…I mean, whoever hid the item find that that cave is something we'll probably never know. I wouldn't have found it without the information in the book."

"The book? What book?"

"This one," Monkey Fist took the ancient book from the bag with the Obsidian Monkey's legs and handled it to Crandall "actually, it's more like a bunch of ancient documents that has been collected and put together in this book a couple of centuries ago. They've been written in different centuries and different languages, but they all are about the Obsidian Monkey. It specifies the places where the parts of the idol were hidden but, aside for the first one, it never says _exactly _the location: as for the left arm, I knew it was in an underwater cave, but I didn't know the cave was in Lake Titicaca. That's why I needed to find the items in a specific order and…and…are you sure you're feeling alright?"

The expression of glee on Crandall's face as he watched the book was hard to describe – Monkey Fist had only seen something similar on DNAmy's face a couple of times, and the thought caused him to shudder.

"Amazing," Crandall said as he carefully flipped through the ancient pages, completely ignoring his question "and you can understand everything that's written in here?" there was a clear trace of admiration in his voice.

"Mostly, though I must admit I focused the most upon finding the places where the different parts of the statue were hidden and ignored the rest. I'm sure there is plenty of other details about the item and the circumstances that lead each piece to their hiding places in those pages though. I could translate them as well if you wish me to, but–"

"You _have_ to!" Hugh Crandall exclaimed, causing Monkey Fist to blink, surprised by his sudden change of behaviour – he was so enthusiastic about the book and everything that he seemed to have forgotten who he was talking with "how much time do you think it would take you to translate it all?"

"Well…" Monkey Fist thought for a few moments "it's hard to tell – there are a lot of documents I haven't translated yet, and it isn't precisely and easy task: sometimes it can take days, even weeks to translate one page. Besides, there are some parts – like this one, you see – that are written in a dead language I'm not really familiar with, and I would need to do some research. It could take months."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine with me – there's no rush after all. I'll make sure you receive all the help you may need for your research personally," Crandall, apparently oblivious that this would mean letting someone else know he was working with Montgomery Fiske of all people "my word, it's impressive how you managed to do all this without any help," he said, and this time he did nothing to hide the admiration in his voice.

"I had everything I needed in my castle – I just had to spend some time on it," Monkey Fist just said. In other occasions he would feel proud of himself, but not now. It wasn't like he had went looking for the statue out of academic interest – he had done it for thirst of power, and he had ended up paying a terrible price for it.

"Well, I'd dare to say it was time well spent," Crandall laughed, glancing at the pieces of the Obsidian Monkey, his statement causing the monkey man to grimace "this statue will have a place of honour in the museum once the pieces will be put back together. Too bad the head isn't here," he frowned slightly "you said it was destroyed, didn't you?"

Monkey Fist bit his lower lip, feeling an horrible pang of guilt – he remembered all too well the circumstances that had led to the destruction of the Obsidian Monkey's head, and the consuming rage he had felt back then when he ha tried to kill Yuki. Had Crandall known it, he was sure he wouldn't have been suddenly so enthusiast to have something to do with him. "Yes," he heard himself say "I'm sure it was destroyed. According to my research, it was hidden in a mountain in Japan…and I know for sure the cave it was hidden into doesn't exist anymore. It collapsed on itself."

"A pity," the other man said, then he shrugged "however, it still remains a wonderful relic – collecting all these parts must have taken a lot of efforts," he said, fascinated. He had always been a quiet man that preferred to examinate the items other archaeologists retrieved in the safety of his study, but he sometimes wondered how working on the field could be. Over the years had read every account he could find of Monty Fiske's travels as an explorer with great interest, and the possibility to hear about his hunt for the relics directly for him suddenly seemed thrilling to say the least. "Where did you say the other parts were hidden again?"

"Well, the torso was in Mount Everest," Monkey Fist said, amused – and maybe just a little flattered – by Crandall's evident interest "inside a small cave on the west side of the mountain. It took longer then I expected to retrieve because of an avalanche that caught me while I was halfway up the mountain, not to mention the snowstorm that forced me to spend the night inside the cave. I fell ill after that, so I was forced to spend some time recovering. As for the legs, they were in a temple in Madagascar…"

* * *

"There's the castle – we'll be landing in a few moments," the pilot announced, causing Yuki to cringe. She glanced outside, and she could indeed see the form of a castle in the sunset. Even though she had lived in there for a whole month she never got many chances to see it from outside, and she was impressed by how imponent and lonely it was. She sighed, wondering what was Monty was he doing now.

_Well, you're going to find out in just a few minutes._

_I still don't know what to tell him. How can I explain…?_

_Easy: tell him you're sorry for just letting him leave Yamanouchi like that. Tell him you miss him, and tell him you needed to get back._

_This is sappy._

_But it's the truth._

"We're landing," the pilot said moments before the jet finally landed, causing Yuki to almost lose her balance "here you are – I wish you good luck, Yuki," he said, extending the ladder to let her out.

"Thank you – have a safe journey back home," she said before taking a deep breath and getting out. The entrance to the castle was on the other side of the short stone bridge – she had almost hoped there would be more walking to do: it would give her a few minutes more to decide what she could say.

_Other than the truth? Not much to say._

Yuki snorted. "Give me a break, will you?" she muttered aloud as she began walking towards the castle.

_You're barely a few feet from the entrance to his home – not exactly the moment to take a break. He probably heard the jet coming already anyway – he could be looking at you from a window right now._

She winced and immediately looked up, but she could see nothing through the windows. "No, he's not," she said aloud "no one is looking at me."

_Whatever he's looking at you or not doesn't really matter_. _You'll be facing him in a few moments anyway._

_I'm not sure I'm ready._

_Don't start whining, you had months to decide – you can't turn back now. And for goddess sake, stop trembling! You're not about to face the Loch Ness monster, you know. Behave like an adult and ring that blasted doorbell._

"Maybe I should have taken some more time to decide…ow!" Yuki bit her lip as Michio kicked. He seemed to be getting restless – but of course, that was just a coincidence. It wasn't like he could be somewhat aware of the situation…right? She sighed, knowing all too well what Sensei would have said.

**You must do what you think is best for your child.**

_He's right, you know – you must do what you think is best for Michio._

_How can I know what is best for him?_

_You can't know it – but you think he would be happier here, don't you?_

_Yes._

_Then you know what you have to do._

Yes, she knew what she had to do. Yuki closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell without any further hesitation. She listened as the sound echoed inside the castle, but for a while she couldn't hear anything – maybe he was not home, or maybe he really had seen her through a window and he didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore…

She snapped from her worried thoughts as she heard the heavy front door opening – but she frowned in confusion as she saw nobody on the doorway. "What…?" he began, but she trailed off as she heard a somewhat familiar squealing. She glanced down to see a monkey ninja looking up at her with suspicion – which was comprehensible. After all, the last time she had met the monkey ninjas she had fought them.

"Er…hi," she said a bit awkwardly "is…your master home?"

The monkey shook its head, but it stepped away from the door to allow her inside, squealing something Yuki couldn't quite understand. "Uhu…I can wait for him inside?" she guessed, and she was most relieved as the monkey ninjas nodded, gesturing her to follow. She breathed a little easier as she followed the small animal through the dark, yet familiar alleys. She remembered perfectly that, gloomy as it was, the castle used to give her goosebumps the first few days she had spent there, and that the first time he had seen Monty sleeping alone in front of the fireplace with that book clutched to his chest she had almost pitied him for being so lonely.

She would have never thought she would someday fervently hope that place would become her home, she mused as she followed the monkey in the living room. There was a fire in the fireplace, as usual, and some monkey ninjas that were basking in the warmth. As they turned to look at her they seemed more surprised than suspicious to see her there, and they listened intently to whatever their companion was telling them. A few of them glanced at her swollen belly with mild interest, then all the monkeys except the one that had escorted her there scurried out of the room. "So, uh…I have to wait here, right?" she asked. The monkey just nodded before getting out of the living room as well, leaving her alone once again. Yuki sighed as she turned to glance at the room, a melancholic smile on her lips – it look like nothing had changed, she mused as she sat on Monty's armchair, and it felt comfortingly familiar.

She turned to glance at the fireplace, and she blinked as she realized that yes, _something_ had indeed changed: upon the fireplace mantel there was the family portrait Monty had previously locked away. Apparently he had decided to put it back in place, and the thought caused an odd warmth to spread in her chest. Now that she knew the reasons why Monty had locked away every reminder of his family inside the castle, she could easily imagine how difficult it could be for him having to look at it every day – but he had returned it to its place anyway rather than keeping it hidden as he had done for years.

Maybe coming back had really been the right choice after all, she thought as she observed the portrait. She grinned a little as she watched the baby cradled in the woman's arms – it was hard to believe Monty could have ever been so small, she thought as she absentmindedly touched her stomach. How had she called him the first time she had seen the portrait? Oh, right – the Ultimate Thumb Sucker. The memory of how annoyed he had been caused her grin to widen a bit before she turned her attention back to his parents.

She instinctively reached for the baby blanket she had stuffed under her garb, wondering what could her own parents be like.

**They did what they thought was the best for you.**

She nodded to herself. "I know," she said softly, then she yawned. She hadn't slept at all in the last couple of days, the journey had been tiring, and the warmth coming from the fireplace was making her feel sleepy.

_You know, I don't think it is the right moment to fall asleep. Not at all._

_I'm not going to fall asleep, I just need to close my eyes and stop thinking for a moment. It won't hurt._

Yuki yawned again and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth radiating from the fireplace as she leaned her head back. Just for a few moments, she thought confusedly. Just for a few moments…

* * *

Monkey Fist was almost whistling as he opened the front door and got inside the castle. It had been a while since the last time he had truly felt like patting himself on the back, and he had almost forgotten how good it felt being so satisfied of himself. The meeting with Crandall had ended up lasting the whole afternoon, and it had been even more useful than he had expected. Before he left, Crandall had given him his phone number asking him to immediately let him know should he find any relevant information about the Obsidian Monkey while translating the book and, most importantly, he had assured him he would make sure the museum would provide him anything he may need with his research.

Yes, it definitely _was_ a start, and a most promising one. He had been surprised himself to see how easy it had been to start speaking about archaeology again – just plain archaeology, without magic in it. Maybe he really had a chance to get back to something remarkably similar to his old life. Not to happiness maybe – he knew that was something he would never taste again – but still…

A loud chattering suddenly caught his attention, causing him to stop in his tracks – Chippy had apparently jumped out of nowhere and was now pulling his clothes, speaking so quickly he couldn't understand a word. "What…?" he blinked as the monkey gestured to follow him and scurried down the alley. Had something happened while he was away? Was one of the monkey ninjas ill or worse?

Monkey Fist cursed under his breath as he ran after him, mildly regretting not taking off those blasted shoes as soon as he stepped in. "Would you please explain what in the world happened?" he snapped as he finally caught up with him in front of the living room.

Chippy just gestured him to stay silent and looked at something inside the room. Monkey Fist followed his gaze, and whatever he was about to say died on his lips. He just stood there for a few moments, staring at the figure curled in his armchair, unable to put his thoughts together. He closed his eyes, shook his head, and looked again – but she was still there. He stepped forward as if in a dream, his eyes fixed on Yuki.

She was sleeping peacefully, her breathing regular and even, her arms protectively folded on her stomach. His brain frozen, Monkey Fist found himself unable to move or speak, as if afraid it was just an illusion that the slightest move or sound could break. He just let his gaze linger on her features for a few more moments – how long had it been since the last time he had seen her sleeping?

"Yuki…?" he heard himself whisper as he took a step forward and crouched next to the armchair, tentatively reaching out for her. His hand quivered in mid-air just for a moment before his fingers brushed lightly against her skin, and he felt pure relief washing over him as he realized it was not just some illusion – she was really there. "But how…?" he asked to no one in particular, his hand still resting on her cheek "why…?"

Yuki stirred slightly, unconsciously nuzzling against his palm. Monkey Fist swallowed, his throat feeling terribly dry. He just stayed there motionless for a few moments, his eyes lingering briefly on her belly, and he cringed as he thought that his child was in there: that thought scared him as much as it filled in with awe.

It took him an awful effort to remove his hand from her cheek – he almost feared she would vanish if he didn't keep checking that she was real – and when he did she stirred again at the loss of contact, instinctively reaching out for him. He took her hand in his without thinking, and she relaxed again, her hand holding his while the other one still rested on her stomach.

There was a part of him that desperately wanted, _needed_ to wake her up, speak to her, and understand what was happening: how did she get there, and why? And most of all, there was the question he felt desperate to ask even though he could barely ask it to himself, afraid for that wavering hope to be shattered by a negative answer – would she stay? He bit his lower lip hard enough to draw blood, but despite the unbearable uncertainty gnawing at him he didn't wake her up.

She looked so tired, and interrupting such a peaceful slumber seemed almost a crime. Besides, that would mean they would have to speak about…well, everything that had happened, and about whatever was about to happen now – and he wasn't sure he was ready to do so: not while he still felt unable to put one simple thought together anyway.

He would just wait there until she woke up, he decided, and then…well, he would see. For now he just squeezed her hand lightly as if to make sure she was still real and kept his gaze fixed on her, his mind so filled with wonder and confusion and hope that any kind of coherent thought seemed far beyond him.


	49. One step at time

_Author's notes__: I had almost forgotten how MUCH spare time you can have when you have no exams looming – I almost don't know what I should do with it…though trying to finish this story is one of the priorities._

_Writing this chapter was hell, I tell you. Trying to keep the whole thing believable was a struggle (I couldn't have everything be alright as soon as they were together again, after all), but I hope I managed to do it decently enough. _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Yuki yawned softly as she stirred. She opened her eyes, still half-asleep, and for the briefest moment she was surprised to not see the familiar walls of her room in Yamanouchi. She let out a sigh as she realized where she was, cursing herself for falling asleep like that.

Oh, well, it wasn't that bad – she had slept just for a couple of minutes after all…right? It wasn't _really_ like she had fallen asleep – it was more like a little slumber, right?

_Yeah, right. Whatever._

Yes, she decided, she hadn't fallen asleep. She had just closed her eyes for a couple of minutes, and that was all. She groaned and tried to rub her eyes, and she frowned as she felt something holding back her left hand. She looked down, and her frown of annoyance turned into a stunned expression as she saw exactly _what_ it was that was holding her hand – a familiar genetically modified monkey hand. Yuki swallowed, her heart skipping a beat as she glanced up to see the hand's owner himself staring at her, his blue eyes filled with wonder and confusion.

"Uh…" Yuki tried to speak, but everything was so sudden that her mind was blank. She weakly tried to think of something, _anything_ coherent she could say, but her brain seemed to have frozen. "…tell me I didn't fall asleep," was all she finally said.

_What kind of question is this?_

_Just…give me a moment, alright? It's rather awkward._

"You didn't fall asleep," Monkey Fist answered mechanically. It took a few moments for his brain to catch up with his tongue and realize it was a rather stupid thing to say.

Yuki blinked. "Really?"

"Well, no. You were sleeping until a few moments ago," he said, barely realizing how utterly idiotic the conversation sounded.

"Oh," she swallowed and looked down at his hand, which was still holding hers "you can…let me go, you know," she said awkwardly, feeling like that was the first thing that _almost_ made sense she had said yet. Well, it was a start.

Monkey Fist immediately let go of her hand and turned his gaze away, somewhat embarrassed. Under other circumstances and were it happening to _anyone_ else, Yuki thought as she uneasily got up from the armchair and cleared her throat, she would have found the whole situation incredibly funny. "So…uhm…" she blinked in surprise as she looked at him again and noticed he was wearing…well, normal clothes. She had never seen him wearing anything else but some ninja garb or his usual smocking jacket until that moment.

"What are you wearing?" she asked, surprised.

He raised an eyebrow as he glanced down at the shirt he was wearing. "Clothes, I presume," he said, shifting a little as she kept staring at him as if he was in woman's clothing or something "…what?"

Despite the situation, Yuki couldn't help but snicker she glanced at his feet. "And you're wearing _shoes_," she said, sounding both surprised and amused "since when do you wear those?"

"You're making it sound like you caught me wearing a dress," Monkey Fist protested. An image of himself wearing something similar to Killigan's kilt flashed through his mind, causing him to shudder.

"I would have been less surprised. You don't look so bad, you know," she teased a little – she had almost forgotten how fun it could be teasing him – then she frowned a bit, her gaze still on his shoes "aren't you uncomfortable with those on?"

"Well…" truth to be told, he did feel uncomfortable – he was no longer used to wear shoes "I was supposed to change back as soon as I came back from London, but…I forgot to," he didn't need to add anything else for her to understand why he had forgotten to change back in his usual clothes.

"Oh," she bit her lower lip, glancing nervously around as if suddenly reminded of what was going on and feeling rather stupid for let such a foolish thing distracting her in that situation "how…how long have I slept?"

"You were already sleeping when I got back yesterday evening," he said, and she blinked.

"Yesterday…?" she asked, glancing out of the window, and she realized it was dawn already.

_Just for a few moments, uhu?_

She cringed inwardly – alright, maybe she was more tired than she had thought. She uneasily looked back at Monkey Fist. "So…you've been here the whole night?" she asked as her eyes lingered on the dark shadows under his eyes, her heart warming up at the thought despite the guilt she suddenly felt.

The monkey man nodded – truth to be told, he had kind of lost track of time as he watched her sleep, both reassured by her presence and plagued by his doubts. "I stepped in and I saw you here. I thought…it was just my imagination at first," he added uneasily "I was certain I would never see you again."

"So was I," she sighed "I guess you're wondering what the heck am I doing here."

"Well, not precisely in those terms, but…sort of," he said. He barely dared to hope she was there to stay, afraid of how horrible it would feel should that frail hope be shattered now that he had gotten to taste her closeness once again.

Yuki bit her lower lip. "I don't know from where I should start," she said honestly. She definitely couldn't just say 'guess what? I changed my mind' as if she had just woken up some day and decided she wanted to get back to him.

"How about the beginning?" he suggested, more sharply than he meant to – he had been plagued by doubt from the moment he had seen her sleeping, and the waiting was staring to get unbearable.

She rolled her eyes at his predictable answer. "Oh, _sure_. In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and –"

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow, causing her to shrug.

"…yeah, that was supposed to be a joke. A lame one, but whatever," Yuki couldn't help but chuckle a little at his expression "it's not so easy to 'start from the beginning' as if it was some kind of tale, you know. Should I choose a beginning, however…" she sighed "I guess it would start from the moment I began to realize that giving up on you had been a mistake."

The monkey man's heart skipped a beat, his hope growing as he remembered how sad Yuki was while telling him to leave Yamanouchi. "A mistake?" he repeated, his voice shaking even so slightly.

Yuki nodded. "I missed you," she spoke softly, her gaze fixed on the ground "every moment. I was sure I could get over you in time, but I couldn't. I cannot," she paused for a few moments before she went on "I guess the only reason why I didn't realize my mistake before is that I kept hanging to the idea that living in Yamanouchi would have been the best solution – but then Sensei…well, let's just say he proved me wrong. As usual," she gave a small smile.

Monkey Fist opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out for a few moments, and Yuki spoke again before he could utter a single word. "I've been unfair to you," she went on "I was too scared of being hurt again to see you deserved another –"

She trailed off, unwilling to put it that way. It would sound like getting back to him had been some act of kindness from her, which really was not the case considering the fact she hadn't exactly treated him fairly either. Should Monty just tell her he didn't want her in his life again, she honestly felt like she couldn't blame him: after everything they had been through and after treating him like that, she couldn't show up in his home with a child he most likely didn't even want and expect him to be all happy about it.

"Yuki?" Monkey Fist called hesitantly as she stayed silent, and she seemed to snap out of her thoughts.

"I know I had no right to suddenly show up here as I did," she finally went on, the idea Monty could just tell her to leave and never come back as she had told him in Yamanouchi breaking her heart "but I missed you too much – I needed to give it a try, but I can understand if you don't want…" she swallowed, and it took her an awful effort to go on "if you want me to leave, just tell me and I will…" her voice broke, and she waited for his answer.

Surprise was written all over Monkey Fist's face. Everything she had just said made no sense to him – she, having no right to show up as if guilty of something? He had been the one to betray her. He had been the one that had almost killed her. Alright, she did nothing to spare him the suffering of thinking she was dead because of him, but he was responsible for everything that had happened – he had hurt her so much. How could she think he would ever send her away now that she was granting him another possibility even now that she _knew_ what kind of man he was?

And God, he had missed her so much. When he thought she was dead, pain and emptiness were unbearable – and even after knowing she was alive, the emptiness had never left his soul. Since when he had come back the castle had felt horribly empty, his room dreadfully cold and his heart terribly heavy. He had never even dared to hope she would get back to him someday, sure as he was he would spend the rest of his life alone – did she really think he would accept losing her once again?

Yuki bit her lower lip to hold back the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes, misunderstanding his stunned silence. "I understand," she said, and her shoulders shook as if she was about to cry – but she was determinated to not shed a tear "I…wish you good luck with your life," she muttered quickly, turning to leave before she could break down and cry in front of him – but she didn't have the time to take one single step to the door before he finally snapped out of his confusion.

"_No!"_

Yuki gasped as she felt his arms wrapping around her and pulling her against his chest. She tried to speak, but words died on her lips as he spoke first, his face nestled in her hair. "Don't," he almost pleaded, his grip around her tightening "don't…"

She took in a sharp breath, completely taken aback by his reaction – then, slowly, her tense body relaxed. The tears she had fought to keep back fell down her cheeks without her even acknowledging it as the meaning of what he had just said began to sink in her mind – he didn't want her to leave. He wanted her back, he really did. He wanted her to stay.

"What…?" was all she managed to utter as she turned in his embrace to look at his face – he was looking at her with the same need and longing he had in his eyes when they had met in Yamanouchi, both of them certain they would never see each other again. "You really…want me to stay?"

"No," he replied, causing her to cringe for a moment "I _need_ you to stay. Will you…?"

Yuki let out a sob and flung her arms around his neck, completely overwhelmed with relief. Monkey Fist tensed as she began crying against his chest – he tried to pull back to see her face and ask what was wrong, but she tightened her grip around his neck to prevent him from pulling back. Not knowing what to say, he just swallowed and held her shivering body close until her sobs subsided and she slowly stopped crying. She stayed silent for a few moments as she tried to put herself together, her arms still wrapped around his neck, her cheek resting against his chest.

"Should I take it as a yes?" Monkey Fist asked with a small smirk as she finally stopped crying. Everything seemed to have happened so fast that his head spun – but it didn't matter now. He still didn't quite get why, but he had been given a second chance…and he would be damned if he wasted it, he thought as he felt a wonderful sense of relief spreading in his chest.

"I'm…uh…sorry about this," Yuki said as she finally pulled back, a bit embarrassed for losing her control like that "I really am an idiot, ain't I?"

"I'm a gentleman," he reminded her with a something remarkably similar to a grin "I'd never say such things of a woman."

"But you must _think_ I've been an idiot."

"For thinking I wouldn't want you back? Yes," he said almost solemnly, causing her to chuckle a little. He reached to brush away some strands of hair from her face "So…" Monkey Fist took a deep breath before asking the question that had been plaguing him since the moment he had seen her "do you _really_ want to stay? Even after…well, everything that happened?" he asked again, as if to be absolutely certain it was true.

Yuki was about to ask if he _really_ thought she would have done all that melodramatic mess if she didn't, but she let out a gasp as the baby suddenly kicked – overwhelmed as she was by her feelings she had completely forgotten about him, she thought with a certain amount of shame. How _could_ she forget about the child? He was the main reason why she had been so hesitant to get back there in the first place, and his birth would change both her life and Monty's.

Monkey Fist blinked as she gasped, and his hopeful expression changed into a worried one. "Are you feeling well?" he asked, and she swallowed, avoiding his gaze – just as she did, he was forgetting the small, insignificant detail she was carrying his child.

_Did you really think everything would be so easy? I doubt he's going to be so happy once reminded of this detail…_

Yuki bit her lower lip. Things would never be quite the same again – they would have a child to take care of, and even though she knew he would most likely never be an ideal father she needed to be sure that he _knew_ what he was getting himself into, and that he was willing to try his best at raising Michio as well.

"I'm fine, I just…" she hesitated "the baby. He kicked," she finally added with a sigh.

Monkey Fist's jaw dropped as he glanced at he stomach – he had completely forgotten about the child in those last few minutes. He tried to speak, but he felt like he couldn't utter a word: he hadn't thought for one single moment of what a responsibility raising a child could be, for he had been certain he would never meet his son in years…if he ever did, of course. He stared at her for a few moments, unable to think of anything intelligent he could say.

She gave him a somewhat sad smile as she saw his hesitation. "You see, I really want to stay – but I can't be sure you'd want us both with you: things wouldn't be the same as before, you know: there would a child to raise. Do you really want both of us with you?"

He was about to speak, but she cut him off. "No, don't say anything now – you have to think about it first. You…" she paused "you must do what you think is best for Michio, regardless of what you want. Regardless of what _we_ want."

There was a long, heavy silence as Monkey Fist turned his gaze away from her to stare out of the window, his eyes oddly distant as his gaze met the rising sun. In all honesty, he didn't think he would ever make a good father. The thought would have never crossed his mind just months before, for having a child had never been part of his plans, but even now…God, he had failed to handle _his own_ life. He had done more mistakes than he could remember – _terrible_ mistakes. And he lacked of…well, of _all_ the qualities a parent is supposed to have to begin with. How could he even hope to raise a child properly?

_But you will have her by your side. You can't let this opportunity pass by, can you?_

Monkey Fist clenched his jaw. Yes, it was tempting – _awfully_ tempting – and he knew that not much time before he wouldn't have thought twice before telling her that yes, he did want them both to stay. Yet…

**You must do what you think is best for Michio, regardless of what you want.**

"What kind of parent could I ever be?" he finally spoke, his voice sounding oddly empty "look at me, Yuki. I'm hardly an example you would want him to follow, and hardly someone he would be proud of."

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "You used to have a higher opinion of yourself."

"I was wrong."

She bit her lower lip, painfully surprised by the emptiness in his voice, and when she spoke her voice was unusually quiet. "You went from having a far too high opinion of yourself to having a far too low one," she smiled a little "you have become a better person than you think, you know – with all your flaws."

He didn't seem convinced. "You can't really think I could ever be a good father," he said, shaking his head.

"Honestly? I'm not sure, and I'm not sure I'd be such a great mother either – but I'll try to do my best, and I'm certain you would do your best as well."

"It may not be enough."

"I think it would – but this is not about what I think, it's about what _you_ think."

Monkey Fist blinked. "You're starting to sound like Sensei," he said, a little startled.

Yuki grinned a little. "I'll take it as a compliment. But don't worry, I won't start to grow a beard."

"How can you be so certain? I've heard quite disturbing things about hormonal unbalance during pregnancy…" he mocked her a little, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Nice. Well, until now I just kept eating and eating and _eating_…and occasionally throwing up, or crying like an idiot as I did a while back. No beard yet," she paused and glanced at him "I wonder how would _you_ look like with a beard though."

Monkey Fist grimaced at the thought. "That's something you'll never get to see. Aren't we getting rather out of topic?"

"Definitely," Yuki sighed, though a bit amused by how easily they got carried away while teasing each other "so…are you willing to accept this responsibility?" she asked, folding her hands – she didn't want him to see ho her hands were shaking as she waited for his answer.

But no answer came from Monkey Fist for a few minutes. He just stared down at the ground, his eyes glazed, and Yuki felt as if a stone had just been dropped on her stomach. Of course he wasn't, what was she expecting? He probably didn't even want that child. She was about to say that getting there had probably been a mistake and they should just forget it and try living separate lives when he took a step forward and reached out for her, his hand almost resting on her stomach.

"May I…?" he asked, and she could just nod numbly as he laid his simian hand on her swollen belly. He just stayed still for a few moments, and Yuki saw him flinch as the baby kicked – but he didn't retreat his hand.

"He began kicking a couple of days ago," she said a little awkwardly, but he showed no sign of hearing her.

"I almost killed him," he just said, his eyes fixed on her stomach "I almost killed both of you."

"But you didn't, and you paid for that mistake," she said quietly, putting her hand on his "it doesn't matter now."

"It does to me," he raised his gaze from her belly with some effort to look at her "I almost killed you and denied him his first breath. How will I ever manage to stand his gaze, Yuki?"

She smiled a little, her hand brushing against his cheek. "Oh, you will. Just like you're standing mine right now."

"You'll never forget what I've done, will you?"

"No. Never."

"And you still want to stay. You still want me to be a part of the child's life."

"Yes."

He shook his head, as if trying to clear his thoughts. "This makes no sense."

Yuki smirked a little. "There's a reason why I've never been chosen as Miss Logic."

"Aren't you afraid I could…you know…" he paused, as if saying it aloud hurt him.

"Yes – I'm terrified, really," she shrugged "but I was provided some good reasons to believe you truly changed this time."

"Such as…?"

"The time you spent in Yamanouchi was not wasted. The fact you refused the Lotus Blade kinda proves it, don't you think?"

Monkey Fist gave her a weak smile. "I guess so."

"Besides, you wouldn't be so worried to make the same mistakes if something hadn't changed," she cupped his cheek "I'm not saying it's going to be easy, nor I'm sure this is going to work out. But I want to believe there is a chance for it to work – I want to give it a try. What do we have to lose?"

There was a brief silence, then he cleared his throat. "Nothing, I guess," he said as he glanced back at her stomach "I can't guarantee everything will be fine, but I swear –"

He was abruptly interrupted by a sudden squeal. They both turned to the door to see a few monkey ninjas getting inside the living room with breakfast, completely unaware of how bad their timing was. They gave some curious glances at Yuki, still wondering what was she doing there, and they grew even more curious as they noticed she was clearly expecting – none of them had truly noticed the previous evening. They began chattering excitedly, looking both at her and their master.

Yuki couldn't exactly get what they were saying, but Monkey Fist's sudden frown and his reply to his minions was enough of an answer. "Yes, _of course_ it's mine," he snapped. He seemed so outraged by the mere idea she could be carrying anyone else's child that Yuki had to smile. "Now, if you don't mind…_get lost_."

The monkey ninjas left the tray with breakfast on the table and immediately obeyed, but they were obviously still thrilled by the news, for they kept chattering loudly as they left. One of them, however, stood in the doorway for a few moments, glancing at them with curiosity.

"What do you want?" Monkey Fist asked, and Yuki couldn't hep but feel an odd sense of déjà vu as the monkey's reply caused him to turn deep red "what the…that's _none_ of your business – get out this instant!"

Yuki raised an eyebrow as the monkey quickly scampered away. "I'm not sure I want to know what he asked."

"No," he muttered, avoiding to look at her "you don't want to."

There was a brief silence.

"Alright, I do want to know. What did he say?"

He glanced at her stomach. "He asked if this makes you my mate."

She blinked. "Mate?"

"This was his choice of words," he said with a shrug.

Yuki snickered. "I shouldn't be surprised, I guess," she said, then she glanced at him "if I'm not mistaking, you were about to say something before they got in."

He tapped his chin, pretending to be thinking. "Are you absolutely certain about this? I'm afraid I can't rec-- ow!" he yelped as she elbowed his ribs.

"Yes," she said, folding her arms "I'm _absolutely certain_ you were about to say something – something about how you're going to do your best and give it a try even though you've been a jerk, if I'm not mistaking. Am I?"

He gave him a somewhat sheepish grin as he rubbed the spot where she had hit him. "Well, now that I think about it, you are probably right."

She bit her lower lip, suddenly unsure. "Er…it _is_ what you were about to say, right?" she asked, not wanting to force him in any way.

Much to her relief, he nodded. "Maybe I would have put it differently, but –" he trailed off as she suddenly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, startled – though definitely not displeased. He hesitated just for a moment before holding her back, breathing in her scent. He knew there were bound to be more troubles and misunderstandings ahead, but he felt like having her there again was enough for now – there would be time to face them later. "Forgive me," he said quietly, and Yuki smiled against his neck.

"Do you really think I would be here making a fool out of myself now if I hadn't already?" she said, pulling back and tapping his nose. He was about to reply, but he stopped as he heard a low grumbling sound.

"Uhu?"

Yuki grinned a little. "It's my stomach, I think," she admitted "I haven't eaten since yesterday. So…didn't your monkeys bring here some breakfast a few moments ago?"

* * *

Monkey Fist raised and eyebrow as Yuki swallowed the last cookie, careful to not leave one single crumble on the tray. "I'm afraid the tray is not edible," he said, causing her to roll her eyes.

"How funny. I'm eating for two here, you know."

"I see."

There was a brief silence, both of them glancing around a bit uncomfortably. When they weren't talking, either to speak of serious stuff or just to tease each other, they couldn't help but find the situation awkward. Yuki's gaze fell on the portrait on the fireplace mantel. "You put it back in place," she stated.

Monkey Fist nodded. "Yes," he sighed "I assume Sensei told you everything."

"About you family? Yes," she paused "I'm sorry for what happened to your father – you never told me how much it bothered you…I had no idea you thought his death had been your responsibility."

"I never told anyone."

"I understand," Yuki looked back at the painting "I wish I got a chance to know them," she said quietly, not quite sure if the was referring to his parents or to her own "you did the right thing putting it back in place."

Monkey Fist just nodded. "I should have never locked it away."

"If you're about to complain about everything you did that you shouldn't have done, I'm afraid we'll never see the end of it. Don't think about it too much."

He shrugged. "I can't help it. I paid a visit to their grave a couple of days ago – it was the first time in nearly ten years. Maybe even more."

"But you did pay them a visit now. That's all that matters," she paused "Sensei thinks they would be proud of you if they knew how you managed to handle yourself in these last few months."

The shadow of a smile appeared on Monkey Fist's lips. "He did tell me something similar," he said, then a sudden thought occurred to him "you said it was him to convince you to come back."

"He definitely helped, yes. I think it was his intention since the beginning – given that you would choose to go on with you trip down Memory Lane rather than giving up and then pass the test, of course," she hesitated "I couldn't believe you truly gave up on the Lotus Blade at first."

Monkey Fist shrugged. "Sometimes I can't believe it either. I've been _so close_ to take it…" he absentmindedly reached out as if to grab something, then he sighed, gazing down at the ground "if I did take it…" he paused, unable to go on.

"I doubt you would have lived long enough to regret it."

Yuki's dry reply caused him to wince. "Excuse me?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"You heard me. No matter how sure he was you wouldn't take the sword, Sensei wouldn't have taken such a risk. I'm sure he would have killed you where you stood if you grabbed the Lotus Blade."

Monkey Fist opened his mouth, but no sound came out as he stared at her with widened eyes. "He wouldn't…" he finally said, and Yuki just raised an eyebrow "…he would," he finished weakly as he remembered the way he had pressed a knife against his throat when he had begged him to let him die. Drops of cold sweat forming on his forehead as he realized how close to death he had been little more than a couple of weeks before.

"He would have hated it, but…yes. You would have been too dangerous," Yuki cringed inwardly at the thought "I didn't know about that until a couple of days ago – I would have tried to stop him from putting you through it if I did," she reached out to run a hand through his hair "I'm so happy you gave him no reason to strike," she said honestly.

Monkey Fist smiled a little. "Believe me, I'm happy to be alive as well," he said, and she grinned a bit.

"Let's see if you'll still think the same in a few months," she said, causing him to cringe a little.

"Now that I think about it – you and the child…"

"Michio."

"Excuse me?"

"It's his name, remember?" she reminded him "you never used it yet."

Monkey Fist blinked, briefly wondering why was so important for her to call the child with his name. "Alright then, you and Michio --" he paused, surprised by how odd it felt calling the baby with his name – he felt more like he was referring to a true human being rather than just a fetus developing in her womb. It was his _son_ he was talking about, his flesh and blood, and the thought filled him with both worry and pride.

Yuki smiled as he paused. "It feels odd, doesn't it?" she said, a little amused.

He nodded. "Definitely. Anyway, you're going to have to buy some supplies for yourself – you can't keep wearing that garb or my mother's old clothes forever – and…well, I guess we'll need to get things ready for…how much time is there left?"

She raised an eyebrow at his question. "A little less than five months – four months passed already, remember? It's not difficult math, really."

Monkey Fist snorted, a little annoyed. "One more reason why we should get things ready, I guess," he said, trying to ignore his dread upon knowing there wasn't _much_ time left "there must still be an old crib somewhere, but termites must have destroyed it by now."

Yuki let out a groan. "Don't tell me this means shopping."

"I'm afraid it does, unless you hope for things to appear out of thin air…"

"I _hate_ shopping."

Monkey Fist grumbled something, and Yuki got the distinct feeling she wasn't the only one to despise shopping – but he was right, she needed to buy some stuff for herself and most of all the child if they were going to live there. "I guess you're right," she sighed as if she had just agreed to swim in a shark-infested pool. She blinked as thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Monty, how are we going to afford it? I mean, baby stuff is not cheap, and then we'd need money to raise him…" she said, feeling stupid for not thinking about it before. She had some money saved up, but it definitely wouldn't be enough to support a child for long.

However, Monkey Fist just shrugged. "I didn't spend up my _whole_ fortune, and I sold a few properties I had in Galles," he decided to not tell her about the not-really-legal jobs he occasionally had done when he needed cash "I have more than enough money saved up for years, and if everything goes as planned –" he abruptly trailed of as he saw the suspicious look on Yuki's face.

"Planned?" she repeated, and the sudden distrust in her eyes somewhat hurt him – but what else could he expect? It was obvious she wouldn't trust him as easily after he betrayed her trust.

"It's not what you think it is," he said "it's nothing illegal, it's just work…"

"I've heard this already," she said sharply, but she sighed as she saw him cringe at her remark "so…what is it about?" she asked trying to stay calm and not judging without listening first.

"I've been in London to meet an archaeologist that works for the museum – that's why I'm dressed like this," he gestured to his shirt "I brought him the parts of the Obsidian Monkey I had retrieved. For the museum," he added at her sceptical expression "it could be a chance to get back to my old job. I have another appointment with him tomorrow to bring him some documents I neglected to bring with me yesterday – you could come with me if you wish to make sure I'm not…" he swallowed "I'm not lying, Yuki. I beg you to believe me," he said wearily. Yuki bit her lower lip.

_What's the matter with you? Weren't you the one who wanted to give it a try?_

_Yes, I'm just…_

_Scared? Sure you are. Last time you trusted him, you got hurt – badly. It's no wonder it's so hard to trust him again._

_I thought it would be easier._

_Since WHEN has anything ever been easy for the two of you? Did you really think that getting here and say some nice words would make thing magically get back the way they were? You've known it would be hard since the beginning. If you want it to work, you must take the risk again._

"I want to believe you," Yuki finally said sadly, turning away "you have no idea of how much I want to."

"Yuki, look at me," he said quietly, reaching out to cup her cheek and make her face him. He knew he had shattered whatever faith she had in him by betraying her, and he knew it would be hard for her learning to trust him again – but she had to, or else there would be no way for things to work again "do you _really_ think I would make the same mistakes again after everything that happened?" he asked, staring into her eyes.

She didn't speak for a while, her gaze unfocused as she thought back at the days she had spent watching him struggle to come to terms with what he had done, plagued by pain and guilt, and she shivered as she recalled the days he had spent in the blackest despair, pleading anyone that could hear him to kill him and put an end to his grief.

"No," she finally said, feeling as if a heavy weight was being lifted by her chest "I don't think you would. I'm getting paranoid, I guess," she tried to joke.

Monkey Fist seemed incredibly relieved by his answer. He was about to speak when a hesitant squealing interrupted him. "What _now_?" he snapped at the monkey standing in the doorway. He frowned as he listened to whatever his minion was saying. "Of course she's going to stay," he said sharply "what should it matter…uh…" he hesitated as the monkey ninja asked something else.

"What?" Yuki asked, hoping his minion hadn't said something embarrassing again.

"He asked if they should get the guest room ready," he said a bit uneasily, avoiding to look at her.

"Oh," Yuki hesitated. She hadn't slept in that room since the first night they had spent together, and the idea of sleeping together in the same room again made her suddenly feel uncomfortable for some reason.

_You're still not ready. Take your time, there's no one running after you. _

"Tell them to get it ready," she finally said "I'll sleep there. For now," she quickly added, as if to justify herself, but he simply nodded – it looked like she wasn't the only one who needed to take one step at time.

"For now," he just said, reaching to out hold her hand. Yuki just smiled as she gently squeezed his hand back, saying nothing.


	50. Getting back on track

_Author's notes__: I can't even remember when it was last time I had so much fun writing a chapter. Don't get me wrong, I just love writing angst (and I couldn't leave it out of this chapter either), but it's been so much since last time I wrote more light-hearted stuff that I missed it XD Of course, the chapter ended up getting longer than it was supposed to be – I pretty much gave up on trying to keep each chapter exactly the way I had planned before start writing :P_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Yuki couldn't help but feel a little amused by how familiar it felt watching the monkey ninja carrying the tray with breakfast in her room the next morning. Alright, maybe the sunlight pouring from the window wasn't that familiar – there was a storm going on the whole time she had been there, after all – but overall, she didn't felt as out of place as she had expected.

She did however feel a tad uncomfortable as she stepped in the living room. There was no one in sight, and for a moment she wondered where everyone was – until she heard a familiar screeching coming from the dojo. Of course, she thought as she went downstairs, he was probably training with his monkey ninjas already. Yuki felt a pang of nostalgia as she remembered how she and Monty used to train together before she left, and she wondered if things would ever be the same again.

She smiled a little as she leaned on the doorway, watching the scene before her. Focused as he was on the training, Monkey Fist hadn't seen her, and her smile widened as she saw his concentrated expression as he swiftly blocked the attacks coming from his monkey ninjas. By looking at him moving, it was hard to believe how seriously injuried he had been just a few months before.

"Don't leave your side unguarded," he barked at one of the monkeys, snapping her from her thoughts "it would have taken me a moment to seriously hurt you, you fool – and I might not hold back next time."

Yuki had to laugh at his statement – he knew perfectly that he wouldn't hit his minion anyway, no matter how much he threatened to do so, and she was sure the monkeys knew it as well. Both Monkey Fist and the monkey ninjas suddenly stopped training to turn to look at her, unaware of her presence until that moment.

"You're awake," he stated uneasily, gesturing his monkey ninjas to leave – the morning training session was over.

"Brilliant deduction," Yuki mocked him a little, then she glanced around "it seems like forever since last time we trained together," she said, an odd melancholy in her voice.

Yes, it _did_ feel like an eternity. "We could train now if you want to," he suggested, but she shook her head.

"I'm pregnant, remember? I should avoid fighting, it might hurt the baby."

"Oh, right," Monkey Fist swallowed, feeling even uneasier as she reminded him about the child. There was a brief silence, both of them avoiding each other's gaze – the previous days had been filled with such uneasy moments as well.

"Do you remember when I kissed you that day?" she suddenly asked with a smirk, her eyes a little glazed.

Monkey Fist nodded, smiling a little at the memory. "That's not something I'm likely to forget any time soon," he said, and she chuckled.

"Hey, you told me to play dirty."

"Yes, but that wasn't _exactly_ what I meant…"

Yuki grinned. "Complaints?"

He shook his head. "No, I have absolutely no complaints," he said, and he frowned slightly as he noticed how she kept rubbing her arms through the garb "is everything alright?"

"More or less," she said, making a face "it' that woollen nightgown – it prickles. What happened to the other one?" she asked, scratching her shoulder.

Monkey Fist bit his lower lip as he remembered how he had thrown it in the fire in a fit of rage because it reminded him of her while he was about to betray her. "Er…there was an accident."

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Accident?"

"Yes," he lied, shrugging – telling her the truth would only hurt her further, after all "that's what I get for letting the monkeys do laundry. I guess you should buy another one among other things."

She nodded. "Good idea," she said, holding back a groan at the thought of having to go shopping "speaking of which – when are you planning to go?"

"How about this afternoon? I have to pass by Crandall's study today anyway, and there are some stores not very far from there."

Yuki blinked. "Crandall?"

"The colleague I told you about," he said, avoiding her gaze "I have to bring him some documents about…well, about the Obsidian Monkey," he almost expected her to say something to make her distrust clear, but she just nodded, swallowing as he mentioned that cursed item.

"I understand," she said, but she didn't look at him.

"I told you, I'm leaving it to the museum. You can come with me to make sure I'm not lying if you want to."

Yuki bit her lower lip. Yes, his willingness to let her come with him to check what he was doing should have been enough of a proof to believe him…but after all, she had fallen in a similar trick once already. She didn't really think he would betray her again, yet…

She gasped as he took a step forward and tilted up her chin to look in her eyes. "Yuki, if I had really wanted to get back to crime I wouldn't have asked you to stay, don't you think?" he asked, and she nodded – it was true, he could have easily gotten rid of her just telling her to go away "I swear on my mother's grave that I'm not lying," he said quietly, his eyes fixed on hers "I beg you to believe me."

Yuki sighed, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "I know," she finally said, "and I believe you, I guess. I'm just…scared. I'll get over it," she smiled weakly "so…what were you saying about this afternoon?"

* * *

That second meeting with Crandall had been much shorter than the previous one – they didn't even need to get inside his study, really. Monkey Fist just handled to him some other documents he had translated already and reassured him that yes, he would definitely keep him informed about the progresses while translating the rest of the book.

Crandall had just given Yuki a curious glance and muttered a polite 'pleased to meet you,' as Monkey Fist had quickly introduced her as the one who had helped him to translate some pages written in ancient Japanese – it would have been definitely too awkward to tell him the truth, after all – then he had immediately turned his attention back to the documents, babbling about stuff she couldn't understand, and he hadn't even looked in her direction again.

It wasn't like Yuki had cared, anyway – she felt so relieved upon getting a real proof that Monty had indeed told her the truth about his business in London that she almost didn't mind the fact she was about to spend a whole afternoon doing something she absolutely despised.

_Almost_.

"Is it absolutely necessary for me to come with you?" Monkey Fist tried to take a step back, looking at the shop on the other side of the street as if it was some horrible trap. Actually, he would have been far too happy to explore some ancient temple filled with deadly traps rather than being there "I could wait for you outside..."

"Forget it," Yuki grabbed his arm before he could back away "I already spared you the torture of coming with me while buying that stuff for myself," she pointed out – not even she was cruel enough to force him to get inside a ladies store, but she was _not_ getting the stuff for the baby alone.

"We could do this some other day," he tried to suggest, and Yuki rolled her eyes – it was like trying to force a kid to eat broccoli, she mused.

Yes, maybe it was a tad early for that considering that there were still about five months left before she gave birth, but she would rather get all the shopping done in one day rather than having to go through shopping again. Besides, she already felt terribly tired now – she wasn't sure she wanted to know just how tired she would feel the whole day in a few months.

Despite her own hate for shopping, the unhappy expression on Monkey Fist's face as they stepped inside made her laugh whole-heartedly for the first time in a while. "Oh, don't worry – you've had worst moments. You'll survive."

"I beg to differ," he muttered as he glanced around, clearly uncomfortable at the sight of a pile of pink teddy bears. Why _pink_, he wondered as he passed by: as far as he could remember, his old teddy bear had been brown. He was about to voice his thoughts, but he quickly changed his mind as he realized that should Yuki ever know that he _did_ have a teddy bear as a child he would never hear the end of it. Trying to ignore the dread that pervaded his mind each time he thought that he was about to become a father, he turned away from the teddy bears, just to meet an even more terrifying sight.

"Dear Lord," he muttered, taking a step back as he saw a shelf filled with hundreds of those…abominations that DNAmy loved so much and that would have made any zoologist cry – how could any child just look at one of those without start bawling was beyond him. He turned around to not see them, and he cringed as he saw a couple passing by with a child that kept screaming as if someone was skinning him alive.

Now that he thought about it, his mother had often told him that he used to scream so much that she and his father didn't get one single night of rest until he was about ten or eleven months old: should his child do the same thing, he doubted both of them would make it out of it alive. Yet another reason to be worried, he thought with a grimace.

Yuki couldn't help but smirk as she saw how out of place he looked, surrounded by shelves full of colourful baby items – he would probably be more comfortable exploring some dangerous jungle rather than being there, she mused. But he was _there_ even though it took him all his willpower to not run outside, and she felt like it was more than she could ask from him. Besides, it was a good thing to see how uncomfortable he was – it kept her distracted by how uneasy she was herself.

"I guess we should…uhu…look for clothes first," she said, looking around "and for a crib," she added. She had no idea of what else the child could need aside for such necessities and other stuff like diapers, and he didn't seem able to help her out. What did he _know_ about infants after all?

"I completely agree," Monkey Fist said as he finally managed to turn his gaze away from that shelf, eager to get things done as soon as he could. After all, how many things could a newborn child possibly need?

* * *

It turned out there were _lots_ of things a newborn child could need after all. By the time they made it out of the store, two hours had passed and the shopping cart was overloaded with clothes, toys and random baby items that looked absolutely useless to him. The crib would be delivered directly to the castle in a couple of days, the sales man had told him as he handled him back his credit card, and Monkey Fist wasn't sure he did want to know exactly how much he had spent for all that stuff.

He had been about to complain about how much they had spent for a lot of – in his opinion – useless stuff (why should _one_ single child need _four_ rattles anyway?), but Yuki had quickly reminded him that someone who had spent a whole fortune to get genetic mutation on his hands and feet wasn't exactly someone whose opinions on 'useless expenses' she was willing to listen, so he had given up: he didn't really have much to say in his defence on that point.

Yet he couldn't help but frown a little as he stuffed the bags inside the car, a sudden thought occurring to him. "Yuki," he said, looking down at a blue sleepsuit that had fallen from one of the bags together with a feeding bottle (just in case breast-feeding didn't work, she had said) "are you _sure_ it is a male?"

"Well…" she hesitated. Yes, she was sure of it – but it was just a sensation she had, and there was nothing scientific in her certainty "Yes, I'm pretty sure it's a boy," she finally said "why do you ask?"

Monkey Fist held up the blue sleepsuit. "Because if you're wrong and it is a female, _this_ would be a perfect way to give her a sexual identity crisis."

Yuki couldn't help but snicker. "Well…I guess you have a point," she finally said.

"I always do."

"Oh, don't start," she hesitated a little as she looked at the sleepsuit, then she glanced down at her stomach "maybe I should make an appointment with a doctor," she finally said, the idea occurring to her for the first time – she was still sure the child she was carrying was a boy, but… "you know, to check if everything is alright."

She seemed suddenly worried now, Monkey Fist mused as they got inside the car. "I'm sure nothing's wrong," he said, trying to reassure her somewhat "but I can make an appointment if you want to be sure."

"Good idea," Yuki just said, breathing a little easier as she sat more comfortably on the passenger seat, trying to adjust the security belt on her stomach. No, there was nothing wrong with her child. A baby that keeps kicking like that can't have problems, right? She blinked as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Monty…the genetic mutation you had to your hands and feet will _not_ be passed down to the baby, right?"

"Uhu…" Monkey Fist hesitated, unsure – truth to be told, the thought had never crossed his mind until that moment "I…it wouldn't, I guess."

"Which means you don't _know_ it for sure."

"Well, I never asked. I…wasn't planning to _ever_ have a child anyway," he said, feeling terribly uneasy.

Yuki clenched her jaw. "Yeah, you definitely had other plans," she said a little bitterly, and he winced.

"Yuki…"

She sighed – now she was being unfair to him, considering that she now knew he wasn't lying when he said that he wasn't trying to get Mystical Monkey Power anymore and that he had really followed her in that stupid baby store. Not to mention that now he was genuinely showing _concern_ for the baby's health and he had offered to make her an appointment with a doctor.

"Alright, forget what I said – I'm just tired, I guess," she put a hand on her stomach "isn't there…any way to know it for sure?" she asked. It wasn't like it really mattered if the child had monkey hands and feet after all, but…it would be hard explaining him the reason of that difference, she thought.

Monkey Fist hesitated. "I could ring the genetist who gave me these limbs to ask," he said, sounding less than enthusiast at the idea of speaking with DNAmy. Yes, she seemed to have turned her attention elsewhere, but the thought was still less than thrilling.

Yuki just nodded, completely unaware that said genetist and Monty's 'Number one Fangirl' were indeed the same person. "Yes, please," she said softly, leaning back her head and closing her eyes – she felt more tired than ever. There was a brief silence as he pushed back a few bags on the back seat to they wouldn't get in the way. "Well…it wasn't _so_ bad," she mused, looking at the bags. Monkey Fist just raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, alright, it was bad," she admitted "but you know…you handled yourself better than I expected."

He shuddered. "Just promise me we're never getting in there again."

"Not in the near future," she promised with a chuckle "though I think that spending an afternoon in baby store isn't much comparing to what we're going to face," there was a brief silence, both of them feeling terribly nervous at the thought of the hard task ahead of them.

"Monty?" she called again.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for not believing you completely earlier," she said quietly, reaching out grab his hand "I was just terrified…you know..."

Monkey Fist felt incredibly relieved at her words – she _did_ believe him then. "It doesn't matter, it was obvious you –" he trailed off, and he frowned as he noticed how tired she looked now "how do you feel?"

"Tired," she replied, her voice sounding unusually weak as she closed her eyes "let's go home."

Monkey Fist just nodded and started the engine, saying nothing, an odd warmth spreading in his chest as he realized she had referred to the castle as their home.

* * *

"We still haven't decided in which room we should keep the child," Monkey Fist muttered a couple of days later as he watched the monkey ninjas bringing the crib inside the living room, where are the baby items they had bought two days before were still stuffed.

"How about the room next to ou…I mean, next to yours? It's empty, if I'm not mistaking," Yuki suggested without even getting up from the armchair – she had being feeling terribly tired that whole day.

Monkey Fist grimaced at the thought. "Isn't it too close?" he asked, causing Yuki to raise an eyebrow.

"Well, that's kind of the point," she said "do you have other solutions?"

"There is plenty of rooms downstairs," he said "we could –"

"Downstairs? How could we hear him if he starts crying?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"We couldn't – that's the point," Monkey Fist blinked as he saw her expression "…I get the feeling you don't like the idea."

"Oh, _really_?" she said sarcastically "and what are you planning to do in case he starts crying, let him go on and on until he falls asleep again?"

"I'm sure the monkey ninjas may take care of it," he just said.

Yuki blinked. "You _are_ kidding, aren't you?"

"Uh…" he shifted slightly under her gaze "actually, I'm not."

She groaned. "Monty, I like you monkeys. Really, I do. They're fun to have around, they can clean up, they can fight, they can make tea, and they can definitely cook better than the lunch lady in Yamanouchi. But there is one thing I _won't_ let them do, and it is taking care of _our_ child," she emphasized the last words, causing him to wince "he's going to need _us_. I don't like the idea of waking up in the middle of the night, or changing nappies, or breast-feeding…" she paused as she realized it was rather unlikely for Monty to ever be able to breast-feed anyone "alright, forget the last part. Anyway, I don't like the idea of having to do all this any better than you do – but it's our responsibility. You can't always let someone else do what you don't want to do."

Monkey Fist just blinked, staring at her as if she had suddenly grown antlers or something. She sighed.

"Alright, let's sum up – the baby will stay upstairs, and _we_ are the ones who will get up to take care of whatever he may need should he start crying at whatever hour of day and night. _Not_ you monkeys. Got it now?" she snapped.

He dropped his shoulders. Yes, what she had said _did_ make sense, but the idea didn't precisely fill him with enthusiasm. "You're not going to accept any protest, are you?"

"No, I'm not," she tried to sound stern, but she couldn't help but smile at his expression "hey, don't look at me as if I just sentenced you to death," she said, grabbing his hand and squeezing a little "I'm sure you'll do a good job."

Monkey Fist just nodded, not looking convinced at all, but Yuki felt too tired to start repeating again and again he didn't have to worry so much – she would deal with it the next day, she decided. She was about to say she was going to sleep when her stomach grumbled, and she suddenly felt very much awake. And, most of all, _hungry_.

"Hey, is there any chance we could get some strawberries right now?"

Monkey Fist blinked, taken aback by her suddenly topic change. "Excuse me?"

"Strawberries, I said. Possibly with some ice cream. And chocolate. Is that possible?" she asked, and he sighed inwardly as he realized she was having food cravings. Well, it could be worse after all – he remembered his mother telling him she used to wake up in the middle of the night with a terrible craving for a bloody steak when she was expecting with him, so he guessed it could be worse.

He just hoped Yuki wouldn't start to crave for fried chicken or something in the middle of the night – since he was a vegetarian, there was no meat in the castle.

"Strawberries it is, then," he said "there should be some left in the kitchen – it hasn't been much since the last delivery from the market."

"With ice cream. And chocolate."

This time, he couldn't help but smirk. He actually didn't eat such things, but for once he was grateful that some of his monkey ninjas had a sweet tooth. "Of course. All the chocolate you want."

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "I'm sounding like a kid whining for sweets, ain't I?"

"Just a little," he said with a grin. Well, at least she hadn't asked for some excessively disgusting combination. It was nowhere as tragic as he had been led to believe, he thought.

* * *

Of course he had been wrong, he mused the next morning as he knocked at the door of the bathroom where Yuki was currently throwing up. Well, not _completely_ wrong – as he had expected, Yuki hadn't eaten any disgusting combination of food. What he _hadn't_ expected was the quantity of strawberries with chocolate and ice cream she had eaten the night before (was it even possible for a human being to eat so much?), and much less the results they had on her combined to the pregnancy.

"Yuki?" he called "are you feeling alright?"

From inside came a muffled response, which sounded like Yuki wanted him to do something extremely unpleasant with a pair of scissors. Monkey Fist cringed at the thought.

"I suppose I should take it as a no," he said as the door opened and Yuki stepped out, paler than he had ever seen her since that day in the cave temple, when he had thought she was dead. The memory of how the shock and pain he had felt was almost unbearable, and he quickly chased it away from his mind.

"Do I look like I'm feeling alright?" Yuki just asked, her voice rather croaky.

"Well…not really," Monkey Fist glanced worriedly at the dark shadows under her eyes "do you need something?"

"Aside for a pair of scissors?"

"Do you really _have_ to keep saying that?"

Yuki grinned weakly. "Yes. It's fun watching you squirm."

"I don't find it funny at all."

"It doesn't surprise me," Yuki took a step forward, but she staggered back and leaned on the wall as another wave of nausea washed over her "dang it," she muttered as she closed her eyes, her head spinning.

"You should go to bed," Monkey Fist stated, reaching out to take her hand, and she just nodded, leaning on him a little as she took a few steps towards her room.

"I'm going. You sill have to ring that genetist to ask if there's any possibility that the monkey DNA got passed down to the baby," she reminded him, causing him to shudder.

"Is that really necessary? I'm sure I would have been told in case there could be that possibility…"

"_Monty."_

"Alright, fine. I'll do that as soon as you get back in your room to rest," he said – he would rather have nobody around during that phone call. Yuki just nodded: sick as she was, she had failed to see the unhappy expression on his face. Monkey Fist wondered what would she have said had she known _who _the genetist in question was – she would have probably wanted to listen the phone call just to tease him, he mused.

"And remember to make an appointment with a doctor to check the baby's health," she said as she stepped in her room, and she paused on the doorway for a moment "I'm being terribly commanding lately," she stated with a sheepish grin "sorry about that, but I'm always so anxious…"

"I know," Monkey Fist hesitated for a moment before reaching to brush a few strands of hair from her face "I'll take care of everything – now get some rest, will you?"

Yuki made a face. "Who are you, and what have you done with Monty?"

He folded his arms. "Why, I'm hurt. You seem to be constantly forgetting I'm a gentleman," he said, pretending to be outraged.

"Oh, I'm_ so_ sorry, your Lordship – I'll keep that in mind from now on," she teased, playfully tapping his nose before closing the door behind her. Monkey Fist sighed as he walked downstairs as grabbed the phone with the same enthusiasm he would show while signing his death sentence.

* * *

Monkey Fist let out a frustrated groan as he glanced at the clock, ignoring Killigan's rambling from the other side of the line – one hour had passed already since when he had tried to call for the first time. At first, he couldn't contact DNAmy in any way: her phone kept ringing, but he got no reply. He was about to give up and decide to try another day when he had remembered something Stoppable had mentioned in Libya – something rather disturbing about Killigan and DNAmy dating – so he had decided to make another attempt and call at Killigan's place to see if she was there.

It had turned out she _was_ there – the thought alone was enough to give him the creeps – and now he was having a hell of a time to convince a rather wary Duff Killigan that he _really _just wanted to ask her about a detail of his mutation. How could he ever expect Killigan to be so jealous over _Amy Hall_ of all people?

"For the last time, Killigan," he growled, a headache building on in his skull "I'm not interested in her in _any_ way. You can just _keep_ her, thank you so much – I only need her to answer to one simple question about my mutation. After that, I'll be most glad to hang the phone and never hear a word from either of you again."

"Och, ye better be telling the truth, monkey boy," Killigan snorted, but he finally seemed convinced "where have ye been lately anyway? Ye missed the last convention, and I didn't see ye at Drakken's medal ceremony – would ye believe the lad helped to save the world? I always said he was a lousy villain…"

"I've been abroad," Monkey Fist said vaguely "now, may I speak with Amy? It's rather important."

Killigan grumbled something else, but he eventually went to call her. Thank God, Monkey Fist thought as he braced himself for the shrill that was surely about to come from the other side of the line.

"Monty!" as expected, DNAmy's gleeful shrill caused him to grimace, holding the phone a tad more distant from his ear as she began blabbering "where have you been, you naughty boy? I was staring to get worried, none of us heard from you in months and…oh, don't be silly, Duffy, you know you're my pookie bear," she giggled, causing Monkey Fist shudder at the mental image.

"I apologize for bothering you," he finally said, a tad relieved by her friendly behaviour: considering how their last meeting had been like, she could as well have refused to speak with him or to reply to any of his questions rather that treating him like some old friend – she probably just wasn't one to hold grudge, thankfully. "I just had a doubt about my genetic mutation, and…no, no, there is no problem, really. I was just wondering…" he sighed, bracing himself for the worst "should I hypothetically – _hypothetically_, mind you – ever have…well, children…would the monkey DNA be passed down?"

There was a moment of silence, and for an instant Monkey Fist thought she hadn't heard him – then she squealed in delight, causing him to hold the phone far from his ear again. Yes, she had _definitely_ heard him, he thought as she began babbling excitedly about how cute a Baby Monty would be, how lucky he was, how much she'd love having a child herself and asking again and again if there was _really_ a baby coming, making him fervently hope Duff Killigan wasn't there to listen. "Yes, yes, indeed," he muttered quickly as she paused – she had to _breathe_ at some point "so, uh…would the monkey DNA be passed down or not?"

"Oh, of course not, silly – they would have no monkey features at all. Did you want it to be passed down?" she asked, and Monkey Fist hesitated for a moment – truth to be told, he wouldn't have minded at all: monkey hands and feet would make the child more agile in his opinion (he _was_ going to teach his child Tai Shing Pek Kwar, of course), but he doubted Yuki would have been as happy.

He quickly reassured DNAmy that it was perfectly fine like that and that he was just curious, thank you very much for the help, then he hung the phone before she could ask anything more. Well, he thought with sigh of relief and a faint sense of wonder as he picked up the phone again to make an appointment with a doctor for the next week, it had really been easier than he had expected.

* * *

"I _told_ you it was a boy," Yuki couldn't help but smirk as he held the paper in front of his nose for the seventh time since when they got back to the castle. Monkey Fist chuckled at the almost childish glee on her face – she had been extremely relieved upon knowing the baby was perfectly healthy and developing well.

"It was just to be perfectly sure," he said, looking down at the sonogram. He squinted, and he felt his heart skip a beat as he finally detected the baby's profile in that mess of black and grey lines. He stared down at the sonogram for a while, speechless at the idea that he was indeed looking at his _son_.

"Still worried?" Yuki asked, sitting next to him.

"Aren't you?"

"Yes. A lot," she smiled a little, pinching his ear "but we're not doing that bad for now."

"He isn't even _born_ yet. How can you say if we're doing well or not?"

"Hey, I'm trying to be optimistic here," she said, leaning against his shoulder. It was little more than a week since when she had come back, and she had been both surprised and relieved to see things seemed to be gradually getting more and more like before between them. Of course, neither of them would ever forget what had happened and Monty was still uncomfortable about the child, but for now things were going better than she had ever dared to hope. At least now they felt much less uneasy in each other's presence, she mused. "Relax, I don't think parenthood ever killed anyone," she said, running a hand through his hair.

"There's always a first time," he muttered, but he was grinning a little himself. He hesitated for a moment, then he rested his hand on her stomach. "He's kicking."

Yuki made a face. "He _never_ stops kicking now," she said "I bet he'll make a heck of a ninja someday."

Monkey Fist chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure he will. Especially if he takes after me," he mocked her a little.

"Very funny," she muttered, lightly slapping his hand "what makes you think he would take after you anyway?" she said, amuse. How typical of him, assuming that the child would take after him.

He shrugged. "Because. Don't tell me you would mind if he looked like me," he smirked, and she chuckled.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint then, but Asian genes are dominant over yours, so he's more likely to resemble me," she said with a smirk "deal with it."

"Oh," he just said with a slight frown, sounding a little disappointed "how do you know that?"

"The doctor told me. Hey, don't tell me you would mind if he looked like me," she taunted, still leaning on his shoulder – he was so warm, and leaning on him like that felt familiar and comforting.

His smirked a little, his lips brushing on her forehead. "Is there a way to say 'yes' without getting slapped?"

Yuki laughed and slapped him lightly, mumbling something that sounded much like 'self-centered jerk' before falling silent.

There was a long, peaceful silence as they just stayed there, enjoying each other's presence. The silence was however eventually broken by the chime of the clock, and Monkey Fist sighed. "It's getting late," he said, glancing down at her "I think I should –" he trailed off as he saw that she had fallen asleep, her head still resting on his shoulder "…go to sleep," he finished weakly. She could have _told_ him that she was so sleepy, he mused as he cradled her in his arms and carried her up to her room, careful to not wake her up.

She had gotten heavier than before, he thought as he leaned her on her bed…but he definitely wasn't going to tell her _that_. He briefly glanced at her stomach and swallowed – he wasn't sure he would ever get used to the idea he was about to be a parent – then he turned to leave, but he stopped as her hand suddenly grabbed his. "Don't leave," she murmured, her eyes barely open "stay."

"What?" Monkey Fist glance uncomfortably own at her – it would be the first time they shared a bed since when she had left the castle after the end of the storm "Yuki, are you sure…?"

Her grip on his hand tightened. "Yes, I'm sure," she said "please, stay."

He hesitated for another moment, then he finally lay on the bed next to her, feeling a little awkward. Yuki, however, didn't seem to care – maybe she wasn't fully awake, he mused as she curled against him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she buried her face in his neck. Monkey Fist tensed a little as he felt her warm breath against his skin, then he finally wrapped his arms around her as well – and while Yuki fell asleep almost immediately he stayed awake for long, his eyes wide open, staring blankly into the darkness.

* * *

"_There is no escape from here, Yuki," Monkey Fist gave a maniacal laugh as he walked closer, towering over her. She seemed too shocked by the realization he was ready to kill her that she couldn't bring herself to move – she could just stare at him with wide eyes as he approached. Despite his evident rage he walked towards her slowly, as if wanting to savour the moment, and insane grin on his face. His hands kept clenching as if he was impatient to wrap them around her neck, to choke the living daylights out of her. How could those hands be the same ones who had so often stroked her hair as they lay next to each other in the dark? The thought chilled her to the bones. _

_His hands were around her neck before she had enough time to scream, let alone to react. She stared ahead to see his eyes, darkened with fury. She tried to break free from his grasp, but he was too strong and she just couldn't fight him off – she couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. All she could do was staring at him until everything slowly went black…_

"NO!" Yuki cried out as she woke up with a start, her eyes wide, her whole body trembling. In her panic, it took her a few moments to realize she had been dreaming. She took a deep shaky breath, trying to calm down, and her hand instinctively went to her throat.

"Yuki?"

She winced as she the light was turned on, her heart skipping a beat as she saw him next to her, looking at her with concern. It took her a moment to remember why he was there. "I…I had a nightmare," she finally muttered, trying to breathe normally again. She felt terribly stupid to say that, but what else could she say?

"A nightmare?" he asked, surprised – she never has such problems before "what kind of nightmare?"

Yuki hesitated, then she just shrugged: telling him the truth would only pain him, no doubt. "Nothing in particular, I already forgot," she lied, her voice still trembling slightly. He didn't seem convinced by her reply – she was not such a good liar. He tentatively reached out for her, and she instinctively tensed, trying to avoid his touch as if it terrified her: for a single dreadful instant she was irrationally sure he was about to kill her like he almost had in the cave temple. Monkey Fist stared at her for a few moments, his hand still lingering in mid-air, then he put it down with a heavy heart as he finally understood.

"It was about me, wasn't it?" he asked, his voice sounding terribly hollow. Yuki swallowed and nodded, still avoiding to look at him.

"It was about what happened in the cave, when you…tried to…" he voice broke, and there was a long, heavy silence.

"God…" Monkey Fist whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands. Under other circumstance and had it been someone else, he would have been amused by the idea of causing someone to have nightmares – maybe even slightly proud in some twisted way: he liked being feared after all. But this was different: knowing that Yuki had woken up crying in the after dreaming about the horrible things _he_ had done to her, her terrified expression when she had turned to look at him…that was simply unbearable – he felt nothing but regret and shame. How _could_ she not despise him?

"Do you want me to get out?" he finally asked after what seemed like an eternity, without turning to look at her. He didn't want to see that fear in her eyes again when she looked at him, and he couldn't find words to comfort her. How could he comfort her while she just had a _nightmare_ about him trying to kill her?

Yuki bit her lower lip as he spoke, cursing herself for telling him the truth. It crushed her watching him like that, but she couldn't bring herself to speak – there was indeed a part of her that just wished him to leave the room…yet the idea of being alone was even scarier.

_C'mon, stop behaving like a child. It was just a stupid dream, it's not like the Boogeyman is chasing you…_

_But it happened. It happened for real…or, at least, it is what would have happened if only– _

_Yes, but that's the past – the future is all that matters now, and your future is with him. In case you haven't noticed, the Boogeyman himself is currently tormenting himself with guilt for what he did. He's worried for you – he loves you, you twit, so quit being so melodramatic and stop thinking about that stupid nightmare. _

Monkey Fist nodded slowly as he got no answer. "Fine," he just said, his heart dreadfully heavy, and he was about to get out and leave when she suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

"Wait."

He froze as she spoke, and it took him a terrible effort to turn and look at her, and even though he still felt horrible guilty, something remarkably similar to relief washed over him as he saw no fear on her face. She hesitated just for an instant before cupping his cheek. "Stay. Please."

Monkey Fist was about to speak, but she quickly put a finger on his lips to silence him. "Hey, don't even think about running away. You put me in this mess," she said, giving him something vaguely resembling a smirk "the least you could do is staying to help me out, don't you think, Mr. Gentleman?"

He somehow managed to give her a weak smile, relieved to see she still wanted him by her side. "You have a point," he said before tentatively wrapping his arms around her. She tensed just for a moment as he pulled her against his chest, but she relaxed when he began rubbing her back in slow, long strokes. She closed her eyes and hid her face in his neck as he held her closer, trying to erase the dream from her memory.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly in her ear "I'm sorry…"

"I know you are," Yuki nodded, still resting her head on his shoulder, and she managed to smile a little as she listened to his heartbeat. She felt better now – she felt _safe_. "Let's just…not talk about it, alright? It just happened, and…I don't know what's the matter with me, really. It's not like it happens often."

Monkey Fist froze. "Did it happen already?"

Yuki felt like biting her tongue off – couldn't she _think_ before speaking? "That isn't important. I'm not a little girl, you know – I can handle it," she said, pulling back to look up at him "I'm sure I'll get over it in time, so don't worry. We've been through too much stuff for being bothered _this_."

"Nothing of this would have ever happened, if only I made the right choice when it mattered," he said regretfully, and Yuki sighed.

"Yeah, that's true – but it's a bit too late for that, isn't it?" she smiled weakly, tapping his nose "just stop thinking about you should have done and think about what everything you'll have to do soon – such as changing nappies, just to say one. Aren't you excited?" she added with a small grin.

Much to her amusement he let out a groan at the thought, and she just had to laugh.

"Monty?"

"Yes?"

To his surprise, Yuki suddenly pressed her lips on his for a few moments, causing him to freeze, his lips tingling a little – it was the first time she kissed him since their last meeting in Yamanouchi. "I love you," she said softly "you know that, don't you?"

He didn't speak for a few moments, but his grip around her tightened a little. "After everything that happened…" he finally mumbled, sounding as if the idea was still alien to him.

She kissed him again before resting her head on his chest again and closing her eyes. "Yes. After everything that happened."


	51. A birth and a death

_Author's notes__: and here's the last chapter! Well, sort of – there is still the epilogue left now, and I hope it will be ready by next weekend. This one is the longest one I wrote until now, but I really didn't feel like splitting it: there wasn't quite enough stuff for two chapters in my opinion (ugh, everytime I re-read the earlier chapters I feel like smacking myself. What was I thinking when I made them so short?) Or maybe I just couldn't wait to post the second half XD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Monkey Fist raised his gaze from the paper with an annoyed frown as the doorbell rang – he was finally getting to translate a difficult passage, and it was definitely a bad moment to interrupt his concentration. Who could it be anyway? It had been so much time since he had heard that doorbell ringing that it barely remembered its sound, he mused as he got out of his study. For a moment he wondered if it could be Team Possible again – but since when did they ring the doorbell anyway? The only time they had, it was because they had no idea of what he was up to.

As he walked to the entrance, he was surprised to see his monkey ninjas dragging inside a large box – apparently, the postman had just decided to drop it at the entrance, ring the doorbell and run away. It wasn't like many people liked the idea of having to face him after all, he thought with a grimace – and, he had to admit, a certain amount of amusement.

"What is that?" he asked his monkey ninjas as he approached, looking at the box. One of his monkey ninjas handled him a note, and he shuddered as he recognized the familiar handwriting – how many times had he read sickeningly sugary letters written with that same handwriting?

_'I'm sure the baby will love these, they're so cute and cuddly! Drop by to visit us sometimes, you grumpy monkey cutie!'_

He made a face. "When hell freezes over," he muttered, turning his attention back to the box – it was all too easy to guess what DNAmy could have sent for the child. He shuddered at the thought of those plushie abominations – he would be blasted if he let his son ever put his hands on one of those!

"Get rid of it," he said, gesturing to the box "put it in some empty room – I don't care as long as it stays away from my sight. And make sure – "

"What is that?"

Monkey Fist froze as Yuki spoke behind him. He turned to face her, promptly hiding the note behind his back. "Nothing," he said quickly. A little _too_ quickly.

She raised an eyebrow. "It looks like _something_," she pointed out, looking at the box.

"Well…it's a box, indeed," he replied, hoping against hope she would stop questioning.

"I see. What I wonder is what's inside."

"Well, it's…nothing really important."

"Is that why you hid that note as soon as you heard me?"

"Actually, it is…you see…"

"_Monty."_

Monkey Fist cringed as he saw a brief twinge of fear and doubt in her eyes – it was obvious she would tend to jump to the wrong conclusion, after all. "No, wait. It's not what you think," he quickly reassured her, handling her the note and fervently hoping she wouldn't realize who had sent it – he would never hear the end of it if she did. But after all, nothing compromising was written there. "It's from the genetist – the one who gave me these, you know. I had to tell her about the child when I asked if the monkey DNA would be passed down, and…well, apparently she sent him a gift. Most likely toys."

"Oh," Yuki said, feeling incredibly relieved and utterly stupid for immediately jumping to the worst conclusion…not to mention a tad guilty. She read the note again and smirked. "Grumpy monkey cutie, uhu?" she said with a chuckle "this looks more than a strictly professional relationship."

He swallowed. "Well, she is…a peculiar woman," he said vaguely "and _yes_, it _is _a merely professional relationship."

"Hey, I was just kidding – no need to bite. It was nice of her," she shrugged, turning her attention to the box "so, are you going to open it or not?"

Monkey Fist seemed suddenly uncomfortable. "It's…not necessary to do it now, is it?"

Yuki blinked, surprised. "Monty, you're behaving like she sent a bomb or something rather than a bunch of toys."

He sighed – she was probably right, it was just a bunch of plushies: nothing to worry about. After all, DNAmy could have done worse: she could have sent one of her homemade creatures as a gift, for example. That would have been infinitely worse than mere toys. "Alright, fine," he sighed, gesturing to his monkey ninjas to open the box – which was, as he expected, filled to the brim with those disturbing plushies.

Yuki raised an eyebrow, a little taken aback as she grabbed one of them – some mixture between a crocodile and an elephant, it seemed. "Well…these look…odd," she said, though she had to admit some of those did really look cute in some twisted way "it was a really nice thought anyway – I guess we should ring her to thank her," she said, unaware of how he had shuddered at the idea "I think I saw some of these at the baby store a few weeks ago – how are they called?"

Monkey Fist's blood ran cold. "I have no idea," he said quickly "now, how about some tea?" he suggested, trying to drag her away from there.

"Yeah, in a minute," she said, frowning a little as she tried to remember. Could it be Cuddle…something? She remembered reading their name at the store, and it had somewhat stuck her because it sounded familiar for some reason. Her eyes suddenly widened as she remembered when had she heard that name already, and how uneasy Monkey Fist had seemed when she had cracked that joke about the genetist who had sent those toys.

"Wait a minute…" she glanced back to the toys, read the note again…and when she looked back at Monkey Fist she was grinning. "Isn't there something you neglected to tell me about your Number One Fangirl?" she snickered, causing him to groan – and that groan was enough for her to know she was right.

"I _knew_ it was going to end this way," Monkey Fist grumbled as she finally stopped laughing ten full minutes later.

Yuki grinned and pinched his ear. "Hey, no need to be so touchy. I don't mind if you get gifts from your ex, you know," she mocked him, causing him to snarl.

"She's not my ex! We never –" he trailed off as Yuki sealed his lips with a quick kiss.

"I know, I know – don't get angry over this," she smirked, the she turned to look at the toys again "well, it looks like she took it well anyway."

"She did. I doubt she ever was one to hold grudge – she probably the most sugary creature in this world."

"Yeah, I got that impression as well…_grumpy monkey cutie_."

"You're never going to let me forget this, are you?" he asked with a sigh.

Yuki smirked. "No. Never."

* * *

She had to admit that Monty _did_ look kind of cute while he was sleeping – especially when he wasn't snoring, Yuki thought with a grin before turning her attention back to they tray with breakfast that the monkey ninja had just brought in is master's bedroom. He was so tired that he hadn't even woken up when the monkey had knocked: in those last few days he had been so busy with his research about some ancient language he still couldn't translate that he usually fell asleep almost as soon as his head rested on the pillow.

It wasn't like that bothered her. She was always tired herself lately – nobody had ever told her a pregnancy could have such effects – and if felt good just basking in the warmth of his body against hers as she fell in a quiet, undisturbed sleep. Not much had happened between them yet, but now there was none of the awkwardness of the first few nights they had spent together since she had come back: just talking or teasing each other a little before falling asleep in each other's embrace and occasionally sharing a kiss felt once again completely natural, and that was already so much more than she had hoped for when she had decided to come back a few weeks before. She had expected it to take more time, if it ever happened.

_Yeah, this is really cute. For a couple of sixty-years-old, maybe._

_Oh, shut up._

_Whatever. But_ _maybe you should wake him up now._

Yuki shrugged as she sipped some tea before taking another cookie.

_I don't see why, he's sleeping so well…he should get some rest._

_Yeah, right. You don't want to wake him up so you can have all the breakfast for yourself. You are really eating like a pig lately, you know._

Yuki grinned a little at the thought and reached out to stroke his hair, causing him to stir a little – but he didn't wake up. Oh, well, she thought with a smirk as she took another bite, at least she had tried. But hey, she was leaving his cup of tea untouched – so he had no reason to complain, right? She was reaching for the fruit when she felt his arms wrapping around her.

_Ops…_

"I see you served yourself," he said in her ear, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the almost empty tray.

Yuki looked up at him with a sheepish grin as he pulled her on his lap. "Uh…yes. I'm eating for two, remember?"

He nodded, his hand resting on her stomach – she was a little past five months expecting now "I see," he just said, a slightly worried expression crossing his features just for an instant before she tilted up her head to kiss his cheek.

"I left you some tea," she said, as if to make up for eating pretty much anything edible on the tray. He nodded, but he didn't let her go to reach for the cup.

"How much have I overslept?"

"Not much, just…about twenty minutes, I think."

Monkey Fist frowned slightly. "I should get going – the training session should have started already," he said, but he seemed unwilling to get up.

"It has started already. I told the monkey that brought breakfast you would join them later, and that they start without you in the meanwhile."

He seemed satisfied by her reply. "Perfect. I don't want them to skip the morning training."

"And what about you?"

He blinked. "Excuse me?"

Yuki reached up to run a hand through his messy hair. "Do you think you could skip training for once?" she asked before briefly pressing her lips on his. Monkey Fist grinned smugly – truth to be told, he wasn't really planning to join his monkey ninjas that soon.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," he said before kissing her back, and his kiss wasn't exactly as brief and innocent as hers had been. For a split of second she was taken aback, then she just closed her eyes and parted her lips, letting him deepen the kiss as he slowly leaned her on he pillows, careful to not put his weight on her.

"No," she gasped as their lips broke apart, wrapping her arms around his shoulders "it wouldn't hurt."

"I'm glad you think this way," he chuckled before kissing her again. He brushed a few strands of hair from her face to look in her eyes, and he suddenly seemed unsure "If you want me to stop –" he began, but he trailed off as Yuki kissed him back.

"Don't you dare," she whispered, her voice trembling a little – it had been so much since the last time he had kissed or held her like that, and she hadn't realized how much she had missed it. His fingers trailed down her cheek, brushing against her lips before cupping her face.

"As you wish," he said with a smirk as he kissed her neck, his lips lingering on her pulse point for a few moments. Yuki was both surprised and amused by how careful and gentle he was being, as if afraid she could break should his touch be too rough. She smiled inwardly, already knowing what question was about to follow.

She didn't have to wait much. "Are you certain it is safe?" Monkey Fiat asked, pulling back to glance worriedly at her stomach. Yuki smiled at his concerned expression.

"According to the doctor, it is. We just have to be careful."

He blinked. "You _asked_ the doctor…?" he said, both surprised and amused.

She shrugged in fake innocence. "I was just curious," she replied, causing him to smirk.

"Of course…" he said sarcastically, and she smacked him lightly.

"Idiot," she muttered, then she turned serious "however, there is one detail – having your weight on me wouldn't be exactly healthy or comfortable…"

Monkey Fist let out a surprised gasp as she suddenly flipped him on his back and sat on his stomach with a grin. "Which mans," she went on, pocking his chest "that I'm getting to top."

"_What?"_ Monkey Fist looked up at her with an almost outraged expression "forget it. You're mistaking if you expect me to just – " he trailed off as Yuki put her fingers on his lips to make him stop rambling.

"Hey, we're not negotiating here," she said a bit mockingly "my way or no way. Now choose."

He blinked. "This is blackmail," he stated, bewildered.

"I wouldn't cal it like that," she shrugged "I'm just saying that if not being the one on top is too insulting to you, we could always quit now..."

Monkey Fist grumbled something and made a half-hearted attempt to get her off him, but she kept him firmly pinned to the bed and he gave up oddly easily. "This is highly unfair," he protested with a slight frown – he suddenly looked a lot like a kid whining 'it's not fair', Yuki mused with a slight grin.

"Oh, don't pout – I'm sure it won't be that bad," she leaned down to kiss him, and as their lips broke apart he didn't seem in the mood for protesting anymore.

* * *

"I never realized it was so bad."

Monkey Fist lazily opened his eyes to look up at her. "Excuse me?"

"These," her fingers traced the large scar on his left side, casing him to shudder as she touched the still sensitive flesh. Yuki frowned a little as she observed the fresh scars on his chest as well "I knew you were hurt badly, but I never realized…" she paused, uncomfortable at the thought of the suffering he had gone through "it must have hurt more than I thought."

He shrugged, rising on his elbows. "It doesn't matter now, I simply got what I deserved," he said, his voice suddenly harsh and oddly stern as he glanced down at his scars "if anything, these will always remind me of everything I almost lost for my foolishness."

"You shouldn't speak like that," Yuki almost scolded him, reaching to stoke his cheek. Monkey Fist just nodded and wrapped an arm around her, a little relieved by her answer. Truth to be told, there was a part of him that had almost feared her reaction upon seeing those new scars – not much because of how they looked, but because of what they meant.

His grip around her tightened just a little – he was always careful wherever he held her lately, Yuki mused – then he rested his hand on her belly. "Do you still want to tell him everything that happened?" he asked. He still felt like he wouldn't be able to even _look_ at his son should he know what he had done.

She bit her lower lip. "No," she finally said "he doesn't need to know, after all. What happened…it's not of his concern. It was entirely our responsibility, and we dealt with it, end of the story. I don't want him to have to carry a burden that doesn't belong to him, and I don't want him to think he was an accident. I mean…alright, it wasn't planned and it probably could be considered an accident, but…I want this child," she finally added, sounding mildly surprised by what she had just said "I truly do."

There was a brief silence following her words. "I understand," he finally said, his voice sounding just a little distant.

"You're still worried, aren't you?"

He gave her a weak smile. "Yes."

Yuki sighed. "Monty, just tell me – do you _honestly_ want this child?"

Monkey Fist hesitated just for a second. "Yes."

"And can you guarantee you're going to try to do your best with him?"

"Yes."

She smiled, ruffling his hair. "Then I'm sure everything will be alright. Now, guess who's about to get up from this bed to get me some strawberries?"

* * *

"Yes, I do realize it is important, but I just cannot –" Monkey Fist sighed and rolled his eyes as Crandall kept speaking from the other side of the line. He glanced down at the papers on his desk, mildly annoyed by his insistence.

He had been trying to draw a map of the area he had found the cave temple in Libya – Crandall had told him there was some billionaire that was willing to pay for an expedition to dig the whole temple out of the sand, but they needed to know exactly where to look for it – and it had turned out to be more difficult than he had expected. He was used to _consult_ maps, not to _draw_ them: even when he went exploring he always left that duty to someone else. He had eventually given up and offered to just handle them his notes about the temple's whereabouts and let them find it themselves, but of course that wouldn't be enough.

Under other circumstances, he would have been glad upon being asked to join an expedition – there weren't many possibilities or him to get a such chance anytime soon if he didn't get that one. _Under other circumstances_, indeed.

"Mr. Crandall, I would be truly glad to join the expedition and show and lead Mr. Brenton to the temple personally, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be possible," he said dryly "you see, my –" he hesitated, not exactly knowing how he should refer to Yuki – that was something he was going to have to deal with, he decided "well, my _son_ is to be born at the end of the month, and as you can easily guess I'd rather be _here_ when it happens."

_Besides, Yuki would kill me if I don't. Slowly and painfully._

There was a brief, stunned silence. Monkey Fist was rather sure that was the last thing Crandall expected him to say. "Oh," the poor man said numbly after a while "I mean…congratulations," he quickly corrected himself, still sounding rather shocked "I apologize, I had no idea…"

"It doesn't matter," Monkey Fist reassured him, amused by his evident embarrass, then a sudden thought occurred to him.

"Anyway…uhu…what if there were a chance to anticipate the expedition?" he suggested, "or else, you could get there to lead Mr. Brenton to the temple a week before the expedition starts and immediately get back in England. He expressly said he wants you to show him the temple – you know how insistent billionaires can be, they always think no one can refuse them anything."

Yes, Monkey Fist mused, he knew it perfectly. Sometimes private donations were the primary source of money for expeditions and museums, and no one wanted to take the risk of losing someone who was willing to pay by refusing him some privilege most people wouldn't get. He often had to deal with men that were slightly richer and grossly less intelligent than he was because of that, though he usually tried to avoid it.

"It would take a couple of days at most, and he could decide to pay for others expeditions if he finds the temple interesting, maybe even some donations" Crandall was going on "the museum would be grateful for your cooperation," he added.

"Well…" Monkey Fist hesitated – it did sound like a good idea and he wouldn't have minded cleaning up his reputation a bit in the eyes of the academic circle, but he didn't think Yuki would appreciate being left alone in the castle with the monkey ninjas just one week before giving birth, no matter if just for a couple of days "I'll have to speak about it with my…well…I'll let you know tomorrow morning, yes" he said, and he gave a sigh as he hung the phone and got out of his study, heading for the living room.

"Work again?" Yuki asked from the couch as she saw his slight frown. She only went upstairs at evening to sleep by now: before the pregnancy, stairs had never been a problem for her – but now she felt like she could kill for an elevator in the castle. The child in her womb had gotten heavier and heavier with each passing week, and now climbing up the stairs was getting tiring

Stupid as it sounded, there was a part of her that, though scared by the idea of giving birth, just couldn't wait to do so just to be able to move around as freely and easily as before. Besides, she felt like she hadn't trained in years, and her muscles screamed for proper exercise – she was definitely going to need a lot of training to get back like before, and the thought wasn't so alluring.

"Yes," Monkey Fist said, sitting next to her – her slim frame seemed so frail compared to her stomach now, he noticed, "work again," he let out a sigh as she began massaging his shoulders.

"You could take a break, you know," she said, her fingers moving down his spine "you make me feel like a slacker when you keep working like that," she joked, causing him to smile a little.

"Yes, about that…" he cleared his throat "I got an offer – there's some billionaire who's willing to pay for an expedition to dig up a temple in Libya, but I should accompany him to the temple. It would take only a couple of days, and it is a good occasion to regain some credit..."

"Well, sounds great," Yuki's fingers moved up to rub his neck "what's the problem?"

"It would be just a week before…well, the due date," he said, glancing at her stomach "I told Crandall I would discuss it with you before and…ouch!" he yelped as she smacked him "what was _that_ for?"

She shrugged. "For being an idiot. This is an occasion you can't miss, and it's not like I'll die if I stay alone here for a couple of days."

"But you are –"

"Pregnant, right. It's not some illness, and I can deal with it. It's not like I'm going to have to do some awful effort, your monkeys pretty much do everything – and for any trouble, I have the doctor's and the hospital's numbers, remember?"

He nodded. "I guess you're right," he said, relaxing slightly and mentally taking note to tell Crandall that he accepted the job. After all, he only had to baby-sit some billionaire with a thing for archaeology for a couple of days before getting back home, and Yuki would be perfectly fine – what could possibly go wrong?

* * *

Yuki had to admit she _did_ feel a little lonely in the castle without him – she wondered how could he stand living there alone all those years. Well, probably his monkeys were a better company to him than they were to her. Yes, she was slowly managing to understand their screeches and they seemed to understand perfectly whatever she told them, but other than that…well, it was just not the best company ever, she mused as she got out of the bathtube with a sigh of relief – the hot water had done miracles for her cramped muscles, she thought as she put Monty's bathrobe on.

Alright, she had bought a bathrobe for her own, but she felt better using Monty's – just until he got back, of course. It probably was just sappy and somewhat childish, but it made her feel better, so why not? She had spent too much time without him already. She reached out to grab a towel to dry her hair, but she froze, her hand lingering in mid-air as she felt something warm running down her leg.

_No. Not, it can't be – I still have…well, almost a week left. It's just… a trickle of water running down my leg. It's okay. I mean, I just had a bath after all, so it's normal…right?_

_A trickle? This is not a just 'trickle', Yuki…besides, did you and Monty forget the small, insignificant detail that women almost never give birth precisely at the due date?_

Yuki swallowed, then she took a deep breath and glanced down, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the puddle of water on the ground – and she got the distinct feeling that it _didn't_ come from the bathtube.

_Oh, crap._

_Alright, fine, don't panic. Now walk to the nearest phone and call to the doctor – you settled for a home birth, right? She said she'd assist you, so don't start acting like a scared child, she'll be here soon. The labor should take a few hours at least anyway._

_And what about Monty?_

_Call the doctor first, then ring him. If he's not there, leave a message for him at his hotel._

_I wish he were here._

_Oh, don't start – it's not like he could help, he's even more clueless than you are – now call the doctor and stop whining._

Yuki took a deep, shaky breath as she had a sudden contraction – yes, she had to ring the doctor _now_. Her legs were shaking, but she somehow managed to get downstairs and grabbed the phone with trembling hands, her thoughts terribly confused – she couldn't remember last time she had been so scared.

She blinked as she heard some monkey ninjas squealing, looking at her with concern, and despite the situation she chuckled as one of them whimpered. "Thanks for the offer," she said almost calmly as she dialled the number "but no, I don't think a first aid kit would help."

* * *

**Tripoli, Libya.**

Most people are difficult to fully describe in a few words – human beings are complex creatures after all. Yet, Monkey Fist mused, one word would be enough to describe Arthur Brenton. He was _loud_.

"I must thank you for your assistance, Lord Fiske," he almost screamed as they got back to the hotel "it would have taken us days to find that, even with all the maps of this world – those dunes look all the same, don't they?" he gave a laugh that shook his whole bulky frame, casing everyone in the hall to look at them.

"Indeed," Monkey Fist said tiredly – Brenton's company would make anyone tired, since he just couldn't keep his mouth shout for longer than five second, he screamed rather than just talking and at least nine things out of ten that he said were either stupid or annoying in his opinion. Now he just wanted to get in his room, take a shower to get rid of the sand and possibly get some _silence _before he packed up to take his flight that evening.

"Uh…Lord Fiske?" the man at the reception called for him, saving him from whatever idiocy Brenton was about to say "your wife called while you were away. She left a message."

"My wife…?" it took Monkey Fist a few moments to realize the man was referring to Yuki, and the thought made him feel oddly uncomfortable as he thought that he was _definitely_ going to have to think about regularizing their legal status. Alight, nothing would have really changed from a practical point of view, yet…

"Hey, I didn't know you were married!" Brenton laughed and patted his shoulder hard enough to make him grimace.

"Well, actually…"

"Lord Fiske, I think it is _quite_ urgent," the man behind the desk got back his attention, handling a note to him. Monkey Fist frowned, took the note…and he paled.

"When…did she call?" was all he managed to say.

"A little less than one hour ago."

"Are you alright, chap?" without much consideration, Brenton he took the note from Monkey Fist's numb fingers "oh, dear…"

"I must get back in England – immediately," Monkey Fist finally muttered, his head spinning. "Is there any flight for England before this evening?"

"No, I'm sorry – the first flight is the one you already bough a ticked for."

Dar God, Monkey Fist thought as he closed his eyes. Yuki was about to give birth, and he was a thousand and a half miles away. The baby wasn't even born yet, and he was already messing up – why had he come there? Why hadn't he stayed? He gritted his teeth at the thought. "There _has_ to be another way," he almost growled, ready to snap at anyone in his sight.

"Well, there is a way," Mr. Brenton said almost excitedly, turning to the receptionist "my private jet hasn't left the hangar yet, has it?"

"No, sir. You pilot just went to get the jet ready a few minutes ago."

"Perfect!" he exclaimed, grabbing Monkey Fist and literally dragging him outside and towards the hangar near the hotel "you can use my private jet, you'll be back home in no time with that!" he blabbered proudly "my pilot asked the permission to use it today to give a lift back in USA to a couple of friends – and I told him he could, of course, Ernie is such a good boy – and I'm sure it won't take much for him to drop you home before heading for America. Isn't it a lucky coincidence?"

"I…yes, it is," was all Monkey Fist could utter – he felt like there were too many things going on, and everything was just happening too fast "thank you for your offer, Mr. Brenton – I greatly appreciate it," he said, and this time he was honest.

"Oh, don't mention it – it's the first one, isn't it? Ah, I remember I was terribly nervous when my little girl…oh, here we are!" he said as he physically pushed him inside the hangar.

Monkey Fist was about to speak, but words froze on his lips as he saw two terribly familiar figures talking with the pilot, giving him their back. Now that was just rotten luck – how many possibilities could there be for a such thing to happen?

"Thank you for this lift, Ernie – we would be stuck here without you."

"Oh, don't mention it – it's the lest I could do after you saved me from that plane after the ejection button didn't work."

"It, was not big – anyone could have done that," Kim Possible said, dismissively waving her hand. By her side, both Ron and Rufus nodded.

"C'mon dude – I was there too," Ron said hopefully "do you remember me _now_?"

"Hm…I'm afraid I don't," the man said almost apologetically, causing poor Ron to groan "sorry."

"Hey, Ernie!" Mr. Brenson's powerful voice echoed in the hangar, causing everyone to turn to look at them – and Monkey Fist couldn't help but grin inwardly as he saw the stunned expression Possible and Stoppable's faces as the saw him.

"Would you mind giving him a lift to England while you're at it?" the billionaire went on, completely oblivious of Team Possible's reaction upon seeing Monkey Fist.

The pilot immediately shook his head "Of course not, sir – it would be no problem at all."

For a moment Monkey Fist had dared to hope Brenton would just keep his mouth shut about his personal matters – but it was, of course, a vain hope. "Then you better hurry up, boy," he said cheerfully to the pilot, patting the monkey man's shoulder "we have a brand new father here! And we don't want him to get home too late, do we?"

The can Ron had in his hands fell on the ground, soda splattering on the hangar's floor as his jaw dropped, making him look rather retarded. On the other hand, Kim didn't look much better either. "…what?" was all she managed to say, still gaping at Monkey Fist.

Despite his nervousness for his son's upcoming birth and the awkwardness of the situation, the monkey man couldn't help but grin at their evident confusion. "Thanks again, Mr. Brenton," he said, then he turned to Kim Possible "if you don't mind, I'd rather not share with you any detail of my private life," he sneered a little as he walked past them, ignoring the way they kept gawking at him.

Yes, he mused, it was going to be an awkward ride…but at least he could get some kind of payback after all.

* * *

Yuki took a deep breath as she had another contraction. It was not really painful yet, but it was not a nice sensation either. She nervously looked at the doctor. "So…everything is normal," right?" she asked again.

"Why, of course," Dr. Hanson smiled reassuringly down at her "everything is going well, we just have to be patient – it will take a few more hours. It is your first chid, isn't it?"

"Yes. I don't know exactly what I should do."

"You're doing well," she reassured her "just follow my instructions, and there will be no problems. Now simply try to relax."

Yuki nodded and leaned her head back on the pillow. She was more scared than she had dared to tell the doctor, but since she said everything was normal…well, she only could trust her. She closed her eyes, her hands clutching the sheets as she fervently hoped Monty would get the message and be back soon.

* * *

Monkey Fist felt his heart skipping a beat as he saw the English Channel below – he was almost home, he thought, and he felt his nervousness grow at the thought. What was happening? Was the baby born already? How was Yuki doing? God, how he _loathed_ being so utterly helpless!

_Keep worrying won't serve any purpose now. Yuki said she called the doctor in that message – she's in good hands, and you'll be home soon._

Even though that should have reassured him, it somewhat added to his worry. He had never seen any childbirth, and he didn't know what to expect. Besides, he remembered all to well mother's tales about how her husband had just _fainted_ in the middle on the delivery – and he was a _doctor_, for goodness sake! That definitely wasn't reassuring.

_Oh, now stop it – it can't be much different from a monkey's birth, and you saw dozens of those without even flinch._

_This is different._

"So, uhu…"

Monkey Fist snapped from his worried thoughts as Stoppable tried to break the heavy silence that had lingered inside the jet since the beginning. Couldn't he just _keep quiet?_ "What do you want?" he asked dryly as he looked at him – the Monkey Master, he thought with a certain amount of resentment. Why in the world did he have to meet _them_ of all people? Was it some kind of divine punishment? Hadn't he been though enough?

The boy shrugged. "Well, it seems like…you got back to old stuff, uhu?"

"Old stuff?" Monkey Fist repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"I guess he means archaeology," Kim said, speaking for the first time "and I really hope you're being honest this time," she added, causing him to scowl.

"Whatever I do or not is none of your business," he snapped, and she just shrugged.

"You're right, as long as you don't get back to crime it's none of our business – and I really hope things will stay this way," she paused to glance at him – he was nothing like the broken, defeated man they had faced a few months before "anyway, you seem to be doing better than last time we met."

He gritted his teeth at the thought. He had no idea if they knew the part they had in it – the fact they had told the museum he had helped them to retrieve the statue of Hanuman had definitely been a turning point – but the fact he sort of _owed_ them something was almost humiliating. Not to mention that he would rather not talk about what had happened during their last encounter – he disgusted himself everytime he thought of what a pathetic sight he had to be, especially after witnessing Ron's powers. He clenched his jaw at the thought.

"Definitely," he muttered, avoiding to look at her.

There was a brief silence. "And, er…what that guy said about…" Ron shuddered at the thought "is _that_ true?" he said. Now that was wrongsick – even worse than Drakken and Shego being _together_, he thought.

Monkey Fist gave him an annoyed glance. "Yes, it is. For all I know, my son might just be born in this very instant, and I'm stuck here with _you_," he grumbled.

"Oh," Ron frowned a little "uh…congratulations?" he said weakly, causing Kim to snicker and Monkey Fist to snarl.

"Thank you so much," he said dryly, glancing outside, and he blinked as he saw London beneath them – Brenson had been right, it truly had taken a short time to get there.

"We'll be landing near your property in a few minutes, Lord Fiske," the pilot said, barely turning to look at him. Kim seemed amused by how much the monkey man had paled upon hearing Ernie's words.

"Nervous?"

"That's none of your business, Possible," he growled, annoyed. Kim and Ron just glanced at each other with an amused grin, saying nothing. Yes, _now_ he definitely sounded much more like the guy they both knew.

* * *

"It was…about time," Yuki said with a small smirk, her voice dripping with relief as Monkey Fist walked near the bed and grabbed her hand.

"I couldn't make it earlier," he said, brushing away some hair from her sweaty forehead and squeezing her hand gently before turning to the doctor "how are you feeling?"

She yelped as she had another contraction before replying. "What do you _think_?"

Monkey Fist swallowed and turned to the doctor. "Is everything alright?"

Dr. Hanson couldn't help but smile inwardly upon seeing how anxious he was – if men were to bear children, she thought, humanity wouldn't survive for long. "Yes, everything is going perfectly fine – it was a long labor, but that's normal. The cervix is almost completely dilated now – the delivering should start in a few minutes. You made it just in time."

"Take notes for when he will ask where do babies come from," Yuki said with a chuckle as she saw him grow paler, then she let out a soft cry as she had another contraction, more painful than the previous ones. Monkey Fist held her hand tighter, and she clung to him, her breathing ragged – she seemed terrified now.

"It is time," the doctor said "now, Yuki – don't panic, everything will be fine. Just keep breathing as I told you, and push when I say to do so."

Yuki nodded, her throat feeling horribly dry. "Yes," she heard herself say, holding Monty's hand tighter – and after twenty minutes her grip on his hand was so strong that he could no longer feel it…but that definitely wasn't on top of his worries after all.

"I…it hurts," she panted, letting her head fall on the pillow again "I can't go on."

"Of course you can – just pause for a moment and take a deep breath."

Yuki did as she had been told, turning up to look at Monkey Fist – he was getting paler and paler with each passing minute, but he was still standing by her side. "This is all your fault," she said, a tad accusingly. Even though she seemed terrified, there was a faint smile on her lips.

For a moment he considered pointing out it wasn't like he hadn't forced her, but he eventually decided against it. He just reached to stroke her hair and gave her a sheepish grin. "I really hope it is."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, it is. And you know, we better start talking about birth control, because I'm not going through this again – _ah!_"

"Don' get distracted now," the doctor chided her "I know it hurts, but you're almost done – I can see the head already. Just a few more pushes, and the baby will be born. Come one, try again."

Yuki swallowed, clung on Monty's arm and pushed again. The pain felt almost unbearable for a few moments, but she immediately forgot it as she suddenly heard another sound other than her thundering heart and panting breath – the sound of a baby wailing at the top of his lungs. Still panting, she opened her eyes to see Doctor Hanson quickly clamping the umbilical cord and wiping the baby clean with a towel, observing him as he wailed and squirmed.

"A healthy boy – at least seven pounds, I'd say, and about twenty inches long," she smiled as she wrapped another clean towel around the child and handled the bundle to her "and it looks like he wants to meet his mother – here, hold his head up…" she instructed before moving to recollect some of her items to give them some privacy.

Yuki swallowed as looked down at the baby in her arms, unable to think for a few minutes as he slowly began to calm down, comforted by the warmth of his mother's body. "Monty?" she finally called softly, unable to turn her gaze away from the tiny creature in her arms. He had a tuft of black hair on his head, and his skin was the same shade of hers. His eyes were shaped like hers as well, and though they were tightly shut she was sure that they were just as black as his hair. She couldn't help but smile a little as she thought of Monty's disappointment when she had told him the baby would most likely look like her – she had been right, it seemed.

"I told you he would resemble me," she said with a grin as she finally turned to look at him, and the baby squirmed at the sound of his mother's voice.

Monkey Fist opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out – he just looked at the baby in amazement. He just couldn't speak: all he could do was staring down at the tiny life he had helped to create and that he had almost ended months before. It felt both amazing and terrifying at the same time – it was _his_ son, and he knew he was now responsible for that child. Whatever that tiny baby would grow to be, he would have a direct hand in. That thought was almost frightening.

"Yes," he finally said, an odd smile on his lips "you told me."

He tentatively reached for Michio, but he retreated his hand, causing Yuki to frown slightly. "What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly feeling terribly worried – what if Monty didn't want that child after all?

He shook his head. "Nothing, I suppose. I simply…" he paused, unable to find words, and he blinked as Yuki handled him the child.

"It's not a bomb, your Lordship. It won't hurt," she said with a weak smile – she had never felt so utterly exhausted in her whole life. Monkey Fist hesitated before awkwardly taking the child, and she was mildly surprised to she how he didn't need any help – he just nestled him in the crook of his arm, and the infant seemed to be perfectly comfortable there. She wondered how many times had he done that with infant monkeys.

Michio made a gurgling noise, but he didn't start wailing again. He just opened his eyes, squinting a little – the light seemed to annoy him – and looked up at his father with coal black eyes.

"He still can't see very well, of course," the doctor said from the other side of the room, causing them both to wince – they had completely forgotten about her presence "but from that distance, he can see your face clearly enough."

Monkey Fist barely nodded, biting his lower lip as he looked down at him – now that he could hold his son, the idea he had almost denied him his first breath was even more painful. Yuki seemed to understand his thoughts, for she reached up to put a hand on his forearm.

"It doesn't matter now," she said slowly "he's here now, and that's all that matters."

He nodded. "I guess you're right," he said, his gaze still fixed on Michio. The infant looked up at him as he spoke, looking suddenly interested by his voice.

"I think he likes you," Yuki chuckled, and Monkey Fist smirked.

"Of course he does, what did you expect?" he said, clearly pleased to see how easily he got his full attention. Yuki was about to point out that _he_ was the one who was afraid that the child would be ashamed of him or just despise him, but she decided against it: he seemed so relieved and proud, and she didn't feel like ruining the moment. Yes, there were bound to be some issues later on – raising a child would not be precisely a walk in the park – but she had to admit that, aside for their non-existent experience and the fact he was in another continent when she had gotten into labor, they hadn't started _that_ badly at all.

* * *

Yuki couldn't help but feel kind of stupid as she silently got up and went to the door, careful to not wake Monty up – but she couldn't help it. Even though Michio was obviously a healthy child and he always slept peacefully through the nigh, she was always somewhat in apprehension any time she stayed too much without checking how was he doing. She guessed it was just normal, considering that it was her first – and hopefully only – child and that he was barely a few days old. She still had to get used to the idea he could stay a few hours without her, she mused as she got inside Michio's room.

As usual, the child was napping peacefully, wrapped into the baby blanket Sensei had given her before she left. He was sucking his thumb as he slept, and with his other arm he was holding one of those plushies Monty's Former Number One Fangirl – as she usually referred to her – had sent him. It was some mixture between a monkey and a snow leopard, and much to Monty's horror it had quickly became his favourite toy. Yuki grinned a little as she recalled Monty's expression every time he saw that thing in the hands of his son. Well, maybe the fact that thing was indeed part monkey made it a tad better, but he still wasn't glad about it.

She reached to gently rub the baby's back, causing him to stir a little – but he didn't wake up. She smiled, and she was about to tiptoe back in her room when a familiar voice suddenly caused her to freeze.

"I'm glad to see both of you are fine."

"Sensei?" Yuki blinked as she turned to see Sensei's ghost-like figure hovering a little above the crib, looking both at her with a serene smile.

"You look surprised," he said, sounding mildly amused.

"I think anyone would," she said, amused despite the surprise "but I'm glad to see you again."

The old man just nodded and turned his gaze on the baby, who just kept sleeping, completely unaware of what was going on. "I'm glad to see you're doing well – and I'm especially glad I made it in time to see him," he added, an odd melancholy in his voice.

Yuki, however, didn't notice the slight change in his voice. "You're speaking like you'll never get another chance – I already promised I'll bring him with me to visit when he's old enough to travel to Japan."

"I'm afraid I don't have so much time left, Yuki."

Sensei's words caused her to freeze. "What…?" she asked, numbly looking at him. The old man just smiled.

"Now, you shouldn't be so surprised. I'm old, after all, and that moment comes from everyone eventually."

She swallowed, suddenly scared by the thought – she had never thought of Sensei as a human being whose life could eventually end: he had always been the same since when she could remember, never showing any sign of weakness. "You…shouldn't speak like that. I'm sure you still have –"

"No, Yuki. My time has come now."

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out – she could just stare at his form with wide eyes as the realization slowly sank in. "You're dying, aren't you?" she finally whispered, her voice trembling.

"Yes, I can feel it – it's merely a matter of minutes now," his reply was impossibly calm.

Yuki felt like her legs were suddenly too weak to support her. She staggered back, leaning against the wall for support, her eyes fixed on the old man. "No," she finally said "it's not true."

"Now, there is no need to get sad over it," he scolded her gently as he saw a tear rolling down her cheek "this is how things are meant to be –It wasn't my intention to sadden you, but I simply couldn't go without knowing for certain you're fine."

She swallowed, suddenly feeling horribly guilty for not being in Yamanouchi to assist him. "Sensei, I…" she began, but she paused, unable to go on, trying to hold back the tears that filled her eyes.

"There is no need to cry," Sensei said, sounding a bit sterner now "I had a long life, and it was a good one – I have no reason to complain. Don't waste you time thinking about a life that just ended and take care of the life that has just began," he smiled down at Michio's sleeping form "promise me you won't cry, Yuki."

"I…" she took a deep breath "I won't cry," she finally said, her voice steadier "I promise."

The old man smiled and nodded as is form slowly began to waver – he was getting too weak, and he wouldn't be able to maintain that projection for long. "Good," he said "I wish you good luck – to all of you. Teach your son to always walk on the right path, and tell Monkey Fist…" his voice faded for a moment as his form began to get blurry, and it took him some effort to go on "tell him that helping him through his journey has been one of the my most rewarding tasks. Tell him to never forget what he learned."

"I'm sure he won't."

Sensei smiled once again, just a bit tiredly. "Goodbye, Yuki," he said quietly as his form began to fade.

Yuki bit her lower lip, trying his best to not start crying. "Goodbye – and thank you…" was all she managed to say, and her voice broke as Sensei's form disappeared completely. She stayed still for a long while, leaning against the wall, her eyes fixed on the spot where Sensei's figure had been barely moments earlier – she only got back to reality as Michio finally woke up and began to cry.

**Teach your son to always walk on the right path.**

_I will. I swear I will._

She took a deep breath and took the baby in her arms, trying to calm him down – holding him was oddly comforting, and despite the horrible sense of loss she felt she didn't shed one single tear, just as promised.

"Yuki?" she turned to see Monkey Fist on the doorway – it probably was dawn already, she realized.

"I…" she swallowed "Sensei is gone," she said flatly, looking down at the baby as he clamed down.

Monkey Fist froze. "What does it mean, he's gone?" he finally asked, his voice oddly weak.

"Exactly what I said," Yuki replied, her voice surprisingly calm as she put the child back in the crib "he wanted me to tell you to never forget what you learned," took a deep breath "promise me you won't."

He bit his lower lips before wrapping his arms around her and holding her close – she was trembling, as if it took all her willpower to not cry. "I promise," was all he said, unable to think of anything else he could say. He didn't even know what he was supposed to think – the old man had made him suffer terribly, yet he was grudgingly grateful to him for everything he had done to help him, and now he was feeling a sense of loss that he just shouldn't have felt. If that was the effect Sensei's death had on him, he couldn't even imagine what it could be like for Yuki: he was probably the closest to a parent she ever had. "How are you feeling?"

She sighed. "Better, I guess – he seemed so calm, as if it didn't bothered him at all. And I promised him I wouldn't waste time crying over it, so…I'll be fine, really. I'll just need some time," she said softly, hiding her face in his neck for a few moments "just…hold me, alright?"

He hesitated for a moment, than he just nodded and held her back, not knowing what to say to comfort her: he felt like there were just no words. She was probably right – she would only feel better in time.

* * *

Monkey Fist sighed as Yuki sat on the other side of the bed with Michio in her arms. "Yuki, in case you haven't noticed, he has a _room_ for himself to sleep into," he pointed out, looking at the child "is there a reason why you're keeping him here?"

Yuki shrugged innocently, looking down at the baby in her arms. "Because I'm feeding him?" she said, smiling a little as the baby kept suckling, his eyes half-closed, his little hands curled up into fists.

"I see. Is that why his crib is in our room?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She grinned sheepishly. "Just for a few more days," she said almost apologetically – she had eventually decided that keeping the child close to her at night would be easier than getting up every few hours to check if he was alright "then he'll stay in his room. I promise."

"You said that last week as well. And two weeks ago – he's four months already, for heaven's sake."

"Not yet – he'll be four months old next week. He was born the last day of November, in case you forgot."

Monkey Fist frowned a little, as he always did when he was reminded that his son was born the very same day his father had died thirty-five years before. Yes, it was merely a coincidence, but it felt odd thinking about it for some reason. "Alright, nearly four months then – but this doesn't change anything. I'm starting to think you're never going to leave him alone for a whole night," he grumbled a little, causing her to smirk.

"Are you jealous or what?" she mocked him. He hadn't been precisely enthusiast when he had found out some of his monkey ninjas were so excited about the baby's presence that he sometimes had to repeat his orders at least twice before they stopped gawking at the child and finally obeyed.

"_Of course_ not, I was merely saying…well…"he paused as he realized that the child had stopped suckling to look at him – he seemed extremely interested in anything he did or said, and Yuki could have bet Monty wasn't displeased by the attention he got, even though it sometimes seemed to make him feel a tad uneasy.

"As you were saying?" Yuki said innocently, a little amused to see how he had stopped rambling as soon as he had noticed he had gotten the Michio's full attention.

"Alright, fine, he can stay here just one more week, and after that –" he trailed off he suddenly saw his son's face barely a few inches from his "…what?"

"Take him," Yuki simply said, still handling the child to him, causing him to blink.

"Why should I?"

"Why not? You're his father to begin with," she said a bit more sternly "you're behaving as if he had some illness – you can't keep avoiding him by using your incompetence with children as an excuse."

He gave her a nearly outraged look. "Incompetence?"

"Do I really have to remind you the mess you did last time you tried to fold a diaper?"

Monkey Fist scowled. "It's not my fault, it was that blasted _thing_…"

"Oh, please. It's not like it's rocket science, you know."

"I agree – it's not. Actually, changing a spacecraft's system to manual control was _easier_."

Yuki raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I want to know details."

He chuckled. "No, you definitely don't."

"And you _still_ can't get complicated stuff as a _diaper_."

"Can't you just drop it?"

"Nope. Now, how about holding your son?"

Monkey Fist turned to look at Michio again – he seemed to have followed the small argument with great interest, and now he was staring at him again. "Well…"

"Perfect," Yuki just said with a shrug, carefully placing the child in his arms. Monkey Fist froze for a moment as the baby curled against his chest, then he relaxed slightly. "See? He doesn't bite."

"Of course not, he has no teeth yet."

"Oh, you get what I mean," she smacked him lightly, but her gaze softened as she noticed how careful he was being while holding him "you're not doing that bad, you know."

He sneered a little. "Why, thank you. You're not half bad yourself."

"My, I'm honoured," she joked, a smile spreading on her face as Michio giggled, reaching up for Monty's face. He had begun giggling a few days before, while watching on the of monkey ninjas serving dinner – but that was the first time he laughed while looking at his father. Well, truth to be told it wasn't like Monkey Fist did much to make him laugh – he just wasn't that kind of father, Yuki mused, the smile still on her lips, but that didn't seem to be an issue for now. She just hoped he wouldn't become just some cold, distant figure to Michio in the future. "I told you he likes you," she said, running a hand through his hair.

Monkey Fist's grin widened. "Tell me something I don't know," he said a tad smugly, clearly amused by the child's obvious interest as he held him in front of his face, causing the baby to giggle again and reach out for his nose. "He has a good grip," he said, observing him a little more closely.

Yuki rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you're already planning some kind of training routine for him…"

"Of course not," he protested "what's the use when he can't even walk?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you're going to start his training as soon as he can walk?"

Monkey Fist was about to say yes – the sooner, the better – but he abruptly changed his mind as he noticed her expression. "Er…no, not exactly, I merely…well, if we are going to teach him the way of the ninja, we better start soon, right?" ha said.

Yuki sighed. Yes, he did have a point – she had begun training very soon as well, after all. "Alright, we'll see about that," she finally said, taking back the baby and cradling him in her arms once again "just one thing – we won't force him in any way if he doesn't like martial arts. No objections allowed."

He was about to protest, but one glance from her was enough to make him. "Alright, I won't force him," he finally said, sounding much like a kid that had just been forbidden to play with a new toy.

She grinned as reached up to pinch his ear. "Hey, no need to pout," she said "I'm pretty sure he'll love it. Won't you?" she added, looking down a Michio and gently tapping his small nose. The child giggled again, reaching up to grab his mother's finger, then he yawned – it was funny how quickly he got tired, she mused.

"I suppose I should take it as a yes," Monkey Fist said with a slight chuckle as he turned off the light, while Yuki gently wrapped a baby blanked around Michio and carefully placed him in the crib, where he fell asleep in barely a few moments.

"Don't get _too_ sure," she said with a grin, snuggling a little against Monkey Fist "we'll see in time, I guess," she added, closing her eyes and leaning against him while he wrapped his arms around her. Sensei had been right, she thought with a twinge of melancholy as she thought of the old man – sometimes what seemed the easiest was for happiness is nothing but a false trail: some things just have to be earned. Though terribly difficult and painful, each step forward Monkey Fist had made in his inner journey and every decision she had to make had been worth all the effort, and now she felt like she couldn't ask for more.

_Just one thing…_

"Monty?" Yuki called, opening her eyes.

"Yes?"

"Grumpy monkey cutie," she said, causing him to shudder.

"Did you really _have_ to say that?"

"Hey, it's not my fault if you're so easy to make fun of."

"I suppose you're really never going to drop it…"

Yuki smirked in the dark. "Smart monkey."


	52. Epilogue

_Author's notes: so…yeah, here's the epilogue. It feels really odd marking the story as 'complete': in barely a few days it will be one year since when I began writing it from the few lines I had scribbled on a notebook. I would have never thought it would ever get so long and it would take so much time: I usually lose interest in fandoms and characters soon enough, and this was the first time I ever spent a whole year on one single fic…not to mention that I'm planning to write more Monkey Fist fanfics after a year. It had never happened._

_Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you all enjoyed the read though it does have its flaws (what in the world was I thinking when I made the earlier chapters so darn short? :P). I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and/or faved this story, but I guess I better do it properly after the end of the chapter. So yeah, I'll just stop bothering you and let you read the epilogue for now XD_

* * *

**Seven years later.**

Monkey Fist grimaced as he was snapped out of his trance by a pained yelp. He opened his eyes to see that the monkey ninja had gained the upper hand in the fight – which didn't surprise him really. Small as they were, only one monkey ninja wasn't much of a treat for a grown, capable man…but they were powerful opponents for a child, no matter how skilled.

"You're still too slow," he said dryly as he watched his son barely dodge a blow, clearly unable to strike back – the monkey ninja's attacks were too quick for him to react efficiently, Monkey Fist was disappointed to notice.

Michio frowned at the disappointment in his father's voice – there was a reason why Yuki often said that being scolded by his father was like being scolded by God to him. He ducked under a blow and tried to attack the monkey ninja, but he left his side unguarded in the rush to attack, and the only result he got was being flipped onto the ground once again.

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes as he got up and approached them. "Enough," he said to the monkey ninja, who stepped away from the kid on the ground. Michio groaned and sat up – thankfully, the only thing that hurt was his pride…well, and his backside.

He winced a little as Monkey Fist cleared his throat, and he glanced up with a somewhat hopeful grin – he _had_ lasted longer than usual anyway – but he swallowed as he saw him frowning. No, doubted he was about to compliment him for resisting so much: he was most likely about to scold him for losing. _Again_.

"One would wonder what were you thinking while I tried to teach you how to fight," he said with a scowl, folding his arms "it seems like you're getting clumsier rather than improving. Or maybe you were not trying hard enough?"

"Well…" Michio hesitated, then he was him a sheepish smile as he got up "but I gave him trouble this time, right?" he said, still hoping for him to say something, _anything_ even remotely positive.

Fat chance. "Giving you opponent 'trouble' doesn't make you win a fight," Monkey Fist just remarked "if that's really the best you can do, I'd rather suggest you to just concentrate on your studies. However, if that _wasn't_ your best after all…"

"It wasn't," the boy said quickly "really, I can do better."

"Then I expect you to tell me exactly why you weren't fighting you everything you had," his father said, folding his arms "I'm waiting for an explanation, Michio."

The boy bit his lower lip and shifted uneasily, as if he had been caught stealing. "I'm sorry, father, I was starting to get tired and – "

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow. "After barely two hours of training? Since when did you get that lazy, boy?"

"Two hours of training are more than enough," a sharp voice came from the doorway, causing both father and son to wince and turn. Yuki stepped forward with a scowl, looking at Monkey Fist "I thought I told you to go easy on him," she added, causing Michio to frown a little.

Did his mother really think he was so weak? He didn't _need_ anyone to go easy on him, of course…but on the other hand, that training _was_ hard, and doing his best was simply never enough. It was frustrating beyond belief – he just wanted his father to be pleased of him. Was it much to ask?

Monkey Fist seemed annoyed, as always when he was questioned in front of his son – he didn't want anyone to discuss his authority in front of the boy. "I am," he protested "but he isn't trying hard enough," he added, glaring at his son. Michio glanced down to the ground.

Yuki sighed and turned to Michio, her gaze softening. "You did enough for today," she said, gently ruffling his black hair "go upstairs and eat something."

The boy nodded a little resentfully, but he gave her a quick thankful glance before rushing upstairs. Yuki knew he would never find the courage to protest and say that no, being tired after two hours of intensive training didn't mean he was lazy: he was too afraid to disappoint his father, eager to please him as he was, and he was only a child.

Sometimes Yuki was a little worried to see how uptight and unsure he was around him: he behaved much more as the child he was and he seemed to have much more self-confidence when Monty wasn't around. His father's personality seemed to be too strong and intimidating for a young boy such as he was.

"You're spoiling him," Monkey Fist muttered, folding his arms as his son left the room "he's behaving like a child lately."

Yuki had to bite back the remark about him being the only one behaving like a spoiled kid. "In case you haven't noticed, he _is_ a child," she pointed out.

"That's not an excuse. When I was his age…"

"…which means in the last century…"

Monkey Fist scowled. "Is that supposed to be funny?"

Yuki ignored him, a grin on her lips. "Is that a grey hair I see?" she mocked, pretending to have spotted something on his head.

"It's _not_," he replied a little too quickly "as I was saying, when I was his age –"

She scoffed. "Aw, please – when you were his age, you probably had no idea of what martial arts were. I'm sure you thought that Kung-Fu was some kind of exotic food back then."

Monkey Fist frowned, and Yuki knew she had hit a nerve. "That's beside the point – I used to put more _effort_ in what I did when I was a child."

"Oh, really? Well, flash news – Michio is not you, and he wasn't born to be moulded in your image," she said, a bit more sharply than she meant to.

_No, he won't be like him. He will always be on the right path, as his name says – just as Sensei wanted. He won't have to suffer like Monty or I did. I'll make sure he won't._

He clenched his jaw. "This is beside the point. He's too slow to learn, and he lacks of dedication – "

"Monty, he's just _seven_! You can't expect him to spend half of the day training and the other half studying!"

"I doubt he'll ever accomplish much if he doesn't – you can't obtain anything without effort. Besides, he's the one who asked to be taught," Monkey Fist pointed out.

Yuki sighed. "He asked you to teach him how to fight because he wants to make you proud. In case this detail escaped you, he admires you more than you can imagine – and giving him some _recognition_ for his efforts instead of doing your best to destroy his self-esteem would be nice, you know."

"Efforts?" Monkey Fist shrugged "he doesn't even try to get better."

"What?" Yuki stared at him in disbelief "are you blind or what? He's trying his hardest to please you – he _always_ tried his best to please you."

"Well, it doesn't show up – he _has_ potential, I know he does. But he isn't using it."

Yuki gritted her teeth. "For the last time, Monty, he's a _child_ – a good child, and you should be proud of him. He's clever, and you have to admit he's skilled. I've spent most of my life in a school, and I can recognize talent when I see it: give him some years, and he'll become a heck of a fighter – but now let him live his childhood. Your parents weren't so demanding with you, were they?"

Monkey Fist hesitated. Truth to be told, they had never been really demanding, especially not his father. Yes, his mother did expect him to do well in Eton and later in Oxford, but what mother wouldn't? "No," he finally admitted, "they weren't."

Yuki's gaze softened. "He's your son, not one of your monkey ninjas. You're not just his master, you're his _father_," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder "you should behave more like one sometimes – it would mean the world to Michio. It would mean the world to both of us."

He was about to say something, but he seemed to change his mind and dropped his shoulders – he hated to admit it, but she _could_ be right. "Alright, fine," he grumbled a little "I'll _try_ to be less demanding, if that's what you want."

She couldn't help but grin at his expression. "Hey, no need to pout," she joked, running a hand through his hair "you're not doing _such_ a bad job, you know. He wouldn't admire you as much as he does if you weren't," she added, briefly kissing his lips. He seemed in a better mood as their lips broke apart.

"Well, I suppose…" he paused, then he turned to a few monkey ninjas that were still staring at him, waiting for orders. "What are you looking at?" he asked "get us some tea already!"

Yuki snickered as the monkeys left the dojo. "Nice attempt, but you don't really think that snapping at the monkeys to change subject would work, do you?"

Monkey Fist raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

She grinned and pocked his chest. "I expect you to speak with Michio. Now. No objections allowed."

He looked at her as if she had just suggested him to walk on the water. "What? And what should I say?"

"I don't know, and it doesn't matter as long as you speak with him about something and _listen_ to what he says – _without_ putting any pressure on him. Talk about the weather, about your job, about his favourite book, about bees and flowers…" she paused "no, wait. Let me handle the whole 'bees and flowers' thing when he's a bit older."

Monkey Fist – who, truth to be told, had no absolutely intention to ever speak about anything even vaguely related to 'bees and flowers' with his son – just sighed. "Is it really necessary?"

"Yes," replied, and her voice was enough to tell him she wouldn't accept objections "it _is_. I'm giving you half an hour to come up with something to tell him aside from your usual 'when I was your age' crap, and possibly something _encouraging_ for a change," she said firmly before turning and leaving the dojo without another word, a smirk on her lips.

She was _really_ curious to see how would he get himself out of that one.

* * *

"No, I'm not hungry," Michio muttered with a frown, barely turning his gaze away from the book he was reading as Chippy offered him some more dinner "go away."

The monkey ninja seemed unsure – it was never a good sign when the young master behaved like that. Unlike the master, he never snapped at them or just told them to leave: he usually openly enjoyed their company, and the fact he wanted him to leave and he had barely eaten only added to his worries. Chippy squealed as he climber on the child's bed and sat beside him – he wouldn't have dared to insist with his master, but on the other hand the boy was a whole other matter.

"Yes, it was the training," Michio replied with a frown, still staring at the page – but his eyes were not moving as if reading: he was merely staring one point in the page "I still didn't get better. I did my best, really, but it's never enough, and he said I should drop it if that's all I've got, and…" he gave a frustrated sigh "can't you guys just let me win for once?" he asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Yes, I know you've got orders," he mumbled, absentmindedly flipping through the book's pages "nevermind."

Chippy hesitated for a moment, unsure – he should probably leave the young master alone as he had asked, but he didn't like the idea of leaving like that while he seemed so sad. Maybe he should do something to make him feel better…and he knew perfectly what was the easiest way to make it happen.

Michio let out a surprised shriek and as the monkey pinned him down and began tickling him, causing him to squirm and laugh until his ribs nearly hurt. "Chippy, wait – not, stop! Hey, really…!" he gasped between laughters, and as Chippy finally jumped down his stomach and allowed to sit him back up he felt like he had no breath.

"You're one crazy monkey," he muttered, but he was laughing as he grabbed the book again – it had fallen on the ground while he squirmed to break free – and the small smile that lingered on his lips as he began reading again was enough for Chippy to see that the young master had considerably cheered up.

* * *

"It was about time," Monkey Fist said with a snort as he took the steaming cup from the tray. His frown faded a little as he sipped some tea, his gaze wandering out of the window. Alright, perhaps – just _perhaps_ – he had been too hard on the boy. Then again, what else was he supposed to do? He knew that most people would be just happy of having a son like him, but it wasn't quite enough for him – he _knew _Michio could do more, and the fact he wasn't using all his potential was unnerving to say the least.

_Yes, but it's not like the way you tried to handle him made things better: if anything, he only got unsure of himself. _

_He'll get over it. He will understand it is the best for him – I simply want him to do well. It's for his own good._

_You're just transferring your aspirations to him, and this is not what's best for him. Yuki could be right; you should try to be more supportive._

_I don't support mediocrity. _

_You know perfectly he's anything but mediocre, and he is still young. You were much older than he is when you began learning Tai Shing Pek Kwar, and don't tell me you forgot how your first training sessions ended up. If I'm not mistaking, you kept limping around for weeks…_

_That's exactly why he must start training while he's still young._

_How can you expect to become much of a ninja if you keep putting so much pressure on him and destroying whatever self-esteem he manages to gain? I hate to say that again, but Yuki is right: he needs more time, and he needs more support. Speaking of which, you only have ten minutes left before you have to do that darn father-son chat. Have you thought up of something? You probably should._

Monkey Fist sighed, feeling a terrible headache building up in his skull. "Do I really have to do so?" he muttered to no one in particular. Being supporting wasn't precisely among his top qualities, and he honestly had no idea of what he should say.

_You better do, unless you want to sleep on the couch for the next week or two: Yuki will never drop it if you don't. She seemed sure that it would mean much to Michio – and when it comes to him she usually is right, you have to admit it._

"I'd rather not," he mumbled with a frown, but he already knew he was going to give it a try. He glanced out of the window, grumbling a little, trying to figure out what in the world could he ever say.

* * *

Michio was sitting cross-legged on his bed, reading a book – most likely one of the accounts of Monty's earliest expeditions, Yuki thought with a smile as she took a peek through the half-closed door. She had always thought those were too much of a difficult read for a seven-years-old, but Michio stubbornly kept struggling through each page as if it was a personal matter. He frowned a little each time he came across an unfamiliar word, read to grab the dictionary next to him just in case he didn't manage to understand it by himself.

It was funny how much he looked like his father when he was concentrated despite his mostly Asian features, she mused. Maybe it was the nose, she thought, or the jaw line. And maybe his hair and ears, she decided. Yuki's smiled widened a little as she saw he was chewing a cookie, as he always did while reading – Monty often complained about the crumbles he found among the pages of his books.

"Michio?" she called as the finally opened the door, stepping inside. The boy winced, quickly stuffing what was left of the cookie in his mouth, and he seemed relieved to see it was just his mother – he definitely wouldn't want to have his father complain again about the crumbles in his books right after scolding him for failing him at the training. He gave a sigh of relief and swallowed the cookie as Yuki sat next to him. "Chippy told me you didn't want to eat – apparently he was wrong," she said, amused.

Michio gave her a sheepish grin. "Uh…I changed my mind," he said innocently, causing Yuki to laugh and ruffle his hair as she took a cookie herself.

"I see. I hope you didn't let the crumbles fall on the book – you know finding them in his books annoys the heck out of your father," she said, her mouth full, and the kid's grin immediately vanished.

"Sure," he mumbled, closing the book with a frown "is there anything that doesn't?"

Yuki shrugged. "Oh, you know how he's like: he just isn't happy without something to snark over," her gaze softened as she watched the boy's mortified expression "he means well, you know – he just thinks this is the right way to motivate you, and he doesn't want to admit he's wrong."

"But I did my best, really! I –" he trailed off as his mother just stuffed another cookie in his mouth to make him shut up – when he began complaining, he could go on and on for hours.

"I know you did," Yuki said "and believe me, you _are_ good: I say that pretty much e every time we train together, don't I?"

Michio nodded, starting to feel a tad better. "Yes."

"You have nothing to blame yourself for. The problem is not yours, it's your father's – he didn't realize he was simply asking too much. I'm sure he will understand in time, you just have to be patient."

Michio seemed slightly reassured. "Do you really think I'm good?"

"Hey, I wouldn't tell you a lie," she said, pinching his ear "and I'm sure he thinks the same – he keeps asking so much from you because he knows you have potential. I guess he's trying to be supportive, in his own way."

The boy made a face, looking almost amused now. "He has odd ways."

"Yeah, he does – but he means well, really," she paused "you have no idea of how much he changed since when we met…and believe me, we had quite some work to do," she added with a somewhat distant smile.

"You mean since when he was a criminal?"

Yuki blinked, surprised. Neither she and Monty has ever spoken to Michio about his father's years as a criminal – they had decided to wait until he was older, since he would eventually find out himself one way or another – and she had no idea of how could he have learned about it.

"How do you know about that?" she asked, puzzled – though she was definitely relieved to see her son didn't seem bothered by the thought.

"Alice Killigan told me. She said her father was one as well – ad her mother, too. They told her a lot of cool stuff," Michio replied, sounding almost excited by the thought "did father _really_ steal a shuttle?"

Though amused by his odd enthusiasm – she should have expected it though: a lot of children just loved hearing of such stuff – Yuki couldn't bring herself to think it was 'cool' at all. Thankfully, what had happened on Mount Yamanouchi between her and Monty was something Michio would never get to know in any way. He would never know about his father's worst crime.

"Cool is not the first thing I think when I think about it," she said a little sternly, ruffling his hair "but yes, he did cause some trouble around the globe back in his days…though he had quit already when I met him," she said. Yes, it was a lie, but a necessary one. She felt less guilty than she had expected as she said it.

"And why did he do it?" Michio asked, curious.

Yuki hesitated – she definitely couldn't tell him that Monty used to be so obsessed with power that his obsession ended up turning into insanity: he was too young to understand. She eventually shrugged. "You know, I have no idea – it think it was some kind of midlife crisis. Some men start running after teens, some others turn to crime. It happens," she said, causing her son to laugh. His laughter, however, was short lived.

"I can assure you, midlife crisis is something I never experienced."

Both mother and son turned to the door to see Monkey Fist standing in the doorway, his arms folded, an eyebrow raised as he looked at her. Yuki grinned at his nearly outraged expression. "Hey, it's never too late for it to happen. I still see grey hair," she teased, causing him to roll his eyes.

"How funny," he muttered dryly, running a hand through his hair – he seemed slightly concerned, Yuki mused.

"Relax, I was kidding – no grey hair. For now."

"Of course, I know it," he said, and much to her amusement he seemed oddly relieved – then he looked at his son, and his relieved expression eventually turned into an uneasy one, but the kid was too busy staring at the ground to see it. Yuki glanced worriedly at the contrite expression on Michio's face – he looked like he was expecting to be scolded again because of his lousy results in the earlier training. She put a hand on his shoulder, waiting to see how would Monty handle the situation.

Monkey Fist hesitated for a moment as he glanced down to his son, then he cleared his throat. "You…uhm…" he glanced at Yuki, who just narrowed her eyes – it was clear he wouldn't get any help from her "you're actually getting better," he finally said "of course, the fighting style is still unpolished, but…there's time to work on it."

Michio swallowed, his eyes fixed on the ground. "I'm sorry, father, I –" he trailed off and blinked "…what?"

Monkey Fist seemed amused by his confusion. "I should hope you didn't go deaf," he said with a slight chuckle as his son stared at him as his words to finally sank in his brain.

"Oh," the boy's expression finally lightened up – that was probably the highest praise he had ever received from his father "you mean it?" he asked hopefully, sounding almost incredulous.

"Of course. But mind you, this doesn't mean you'll be allowed to slack off from now on – I expect from you the same dedication I always expected," he said somewhat sternly.

Michio immediately nodded, and Yuki had to repress a laughter – the boy was gloating as if he had just won the lottery or something. She looked at Monty, who seemed pleasantly surprised as well. He shrugged a bit uncomfortably at her 'I-told-you-so' expression and glanced down at the book Michio had been reading.

"I see you're reading one of my old accounts," he said, taking the book, and he frowned slightly as a few crumbles fell from the pages. He raised an eyebrow at Michio, who gave him a somewhat apologetic grin, then he just sighed and decided to ignore it just for once. He looked at the cover more closely, and he felt an odd pang of nostalgia – how old had he been during _that_ expedition? He was still a student, so he was probably little more than twenty-one, he decided as he handled the book back to the kid. God, had almost thirty years passed already?

Michio nodded, taking back the book. "It's my favourite one," he said "did you _really_ find all those traps on your way?" he asked, looking at him in awe.

"Of course I did," Monkey Fist said "those, and a lot more. Obviously, there are a lot of other details about that expedition that are not written there – I was supposed to describe what I _found_, not the obstacles I met on the way. For example…" he paused, glancing at the hopeful expression on his son's face "…I guess this means you want to tell you everything," he said a tad smugly – he didn't seem displeased at all by his son's _I-want-to-be-like-you-when-I-grow-up_ kind of admiration.

"Yes!" Michio looked up at him excitedly, waiting for him to speak.

"Just a minute," Yuki said to the kid, speaking for the first time in a while "you better brush your teeth before, then. If I know you, you're going to fall asleep as soon as your father finishes speaking."

"But, mom…" Michio whined.

"No buts," Yuki tapped his nose "it will take you just a minute anyway. The sooner you go, the sooner you can listen to the story."

Michio grumbled something, but he obeyed without any further discussion. Yuki turned to Monkey Fist with a satisfied smirk as the kid excitedly rushed outside the room, almost running into a monkey ninja in his rush to get his teeth brushed in record time.

"See? It's not difficult to make him happy," she said as he sat next to her on Michio's bed.

"I see," Monkey Fist replied – he seemed both amused and surprised by how quickly the kid's mood had changed after his praise. And flattered, of course – Yuki could just _feel _his ego growing.

"And it isn't _that_ difficult being a tad more supporting, is it?" she teased him a little, pocking his chest "I was right – admit it."

He grinned. "Never."

"_Monty."_

Monkey Fist rolled his eyes. "Oh, fine – maybe you were right. This time."

"Sure I was," she said smugly, lightly kissing his lips "and I _always_ am, and you better not forget it."

He smiled against her lips. "I'll keep it in mind," was all he said before kissing her again.

* * *

_Author's notes__ (yes, again. It might get boring, so feel free to skip XD).  
Alright, I probably couldn't have chosen a sappier line to end the story...I just couldn't help myself. Feel free to shot me :P  
Anyway, as I was saying before the chapter rudely interrupted me, I'd like to thank everyone who revied/faved/put this story on their alert…plus some special thanks.  
So, yeah…thanks to __**LilyHellsing,**__** Donteatacowman, DJ Dubois, AIT98, Thoughts13, Jen Rock, Lil-Lyon, KP's Lawyer, WordArtisan, HotarutheChainMaster, thelavendercat, earlthegiantsquid, zardoz101, Oxymoron24, TwentyNineK, -Wind-of-Rekil-, Brimmstone, JLBShecky, Kyuu-kun **__and __**lbmunich**_**. **_I hope you enjoyed the read._

_And if you noticed there's someone missing, you get a cookie ;)  
Massive thanks to_** VampireNaomi **_for the detailed and in-depth reviews and the advice (sometimes I think this fic would have turned out to be VERY different without her words of wisdom, and it wouldn't have been half as good), the interesting discussions about fandoms/fanfictions/general stuff, her lovely illustration from chapter 19, which you can find on the Ultimate Monkey Archive (link on my profile), for having the idea of creating said archive and generally for sharing her fanwork. Check out her stuff, it's simply awesome._

_Another special thanks to __**Spicyweasel **__for being so awesome and such a talented artist: it was her fanart that brought back enough of my interest on Monkey Fist's character to make me give this fic a chance. You can see her awesome illustrations for this fic on the Ultimate Monkey Archive (I don't have to say "the link is my profile" again, right? XD). I have no words to say how grateful I am to her for putting so much time and effort in those illustrations. Check out both her fanart and her original art, I was honest I said she's talented ;)_

_And also special thank to everyone one the__"Ultimate Monkey Archive" for being so awesome, and either great writers or talented artists (or both). We have different opinions and ideas on a lot of stuff, and there has never been one single fight or flame – it isn't quite as common as it should be. You're just awesome ;)_

…_wow, the notes ended up getting about as long as the chapter. Long story short: thanks to everyone who stuck with this story until the end. I really appreciate it, and I hope you appreciated the read as well. _


End file.
